- published: 23 Dec 2012
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Stefan Christian Holm (born 25 May 1976) is a retired Swedish high jumper. He has won an Olympic gold medal, a silver in the World Championships, and one silver and one bronze medal in the European Championships. His personal records are 2.37 m (7ft 9.3in) (outdoors, set 2008) and 2.40 m (7ft 10.49in) (indoors, set 2005).
Holm was born in Forshaga, the son of father Johnny and mother Elisabeth. He has a sister named Veronica who is three years older than he. Holm married Anna in 2005 and they have a son, Melwin, born in 2004.
Holm, who is trained by his father, has not always been a high jumper. For many of his childhood years, Holm played football (following in the footsteps of his father, who was at that time a goalkeeper in a local fourth division team). It was not until 1991 when he realized that he had more potential as a high jumper than a footballer.
His inspiration for high-jumping was when at 8 years old he saw Swedish high-jumping legend, and former world-record holder, Patrik Sjöberg, compete on television.