Stefan Holm and Kajsa Bergqvist with examples of their stamps (© c)
With the European Championships coming up in August in Gothenburg, athletics is definitely very much at the centre of attention among the Swedish people this year. Hosting a major international championship is always something special but in view of the remarkable Swedish medal haul in recent years this time the general interest has reached record levels.
This has of course also been noticed by "Posten" – the Swedish Postal Service – and today 4 May they make their contribution to the current "athletics fever" by issuing a set of new stamps that features athletics.
Or perhaps one should rather say "features athletes" because the four stamps in the set are highlighting four truly exceptional individuals - Kajsa Bergqvist, Stefan Holm, Carolina Klüft and Christian Olsson – in spectacular action.
It is always a delicate matter to decide whether to bestow the honour of being "stamped" on a person – especially if the person is still alive and active – but in this case the Swedish Postal Service can never have been in any doubt whatsoever. Actually the merits of each of these four individuals are truly extraordinary in such a way that the word "unique" would have come to mind if they hadn't – as said - been four.
Career Achievements -
Kajsa Bergqvist: World champion outdoors and indoors (twice); European champion indoors and outdoors. Add to that, one silver (Euro indoors) and three bronzes (Olympics, World outdoors, twice). Actually she has been on the podium in every one of the nine (9) international championships she has participated in from 2000 onwards; World indoor record, pending ratification from this winter.
Stefan Holm: Olympic champion, World champion indoors (thrice), European champion indoors. Add to that, silver medals once each at World outdoors, European outdoors and European indoors. Between 2000 and 2005 placed in the top-4 in eleven straight international championships. In 2005 became the first 2.40 jumper in five years (and only the second in ten years).
Carolina Klüft: Olympic champion, World champion outdoors (twice) and indoors, European champion outdoors and indoors. Add to that, two bronze medals at World indoors and European indoors. So far in her career never missed the podium in an international championship. No. 3 all-time outdoors, No. 2 indoors.
Christian Olsson: Olympic champion, World champion outdoors and indoors (twice), European champion outdoors and indoors. Also a World outdoors silver medal. Between 2001 and 2004 had one silver followed by six golds in seven straight international championships. World indoor record, and is the only jumper besides Edwards beyond 17.81 since 1997.
Altogether these four athletes have amassed 32 medals out of which 22 golden since the new millennium started. Klüft and Olsson both have achieved the exclusive "grand slam" of having won all five international titles available to them, Bergqvist is missing only the Olympics, and Holm, the World and European outdoors.
And despite this obvious – and successful – focus on the championships they have always competed consistently on the international circuit, which has given all four of them long periods as leaders of their events in the IAAF World Rankings. Olsson won the Golden League Jackpot in 2004; Klüft has three straight victories at Götzis and the European Cup; Bergqvist and Holm have won all the High Jump "majors" plus taking a number of Golden League victories.
So certainly all four have truly deserved the "stamp of approval" they now have received!
The European Championships in August is the next major target which is very special indeed as it probably will be their only opportunity to compete in a major championship event on home soil. And the training reports are very positive at the moment as the injury problems seem to have been solved. All four of them plan to have their opening competitions already in May as they are anxious to get going again after completely or partially missing the indoor season.
Lennart Julin for the IAAF
More information on these athletics stamps could be found on the website of the Swedish Postal Services: http://www.posten.se/m/collectorsitems
