Janne Holmlund has passed away – the ski jumper was 68 years old
It is with heavy hearts that we in the Swedish winter sports family have received this news. Janne Holmlund, one of our most beloved ski jumpers, has passed away peacefully at the age of 68. For those of us who followed him over the years, it feels like the end of an era.
A beloved figure on the hill
Janne was more than just an athlete. He was a personality who could bring any ski jumping hill to life. For anyone who grew up with winter sports in the 80s and 90s, the name Janne Holmlund was synonymous with courage and a delightful Scanian charm. He belonged to the generation that laid the groundwork for the status Swedish ski jumping still holds today. Watching him soar from the K90 hill was a pure joy, whether it was at the Swedish Championships or a World Cup event.
Sorrow across the Swedish skiing community
Across the country, tributes are pouring in from everyone who knew Janne. It's not just the results that people remember, but above all, his passion for the sport. When I spoke with some old colleagues from the federation this afternoon, no one mentioned any single competition. Everyone talked about the same thing: the man, Janne. He had a knack for lifting the whole team's spirits, even when the wind was against them and nerves were at their peak.
These are the kinds of figures that Sven "Plex" Petersson and many others from that era have always spoken so warmly about. Plex and Janne were part of the same crew, a core group of jumpers who truly lived for that feeling of freedom in the air. They carried Swedish ski jumping through a time when it might not have always made the headlines, but when the love for the sport was at its strongest.
Remembering the career that built the foundation
Janne Holmlund represented Sweden in several international championships. His strength didn't always lie in the very highest placements, but in his immense consistency and a willpower that was contagious. During his active years, he became a role model for many young jumpers who looked up to him. For me personally, he was one of those athletes you knew would always give his all, whether it was in training or competition.
- Born: 1958, and even as a young man he showed the talent that would come to define Swedish ski jumping for over a decade.
- Active: Throughout the 80s and early 90s, Janne was a regular name in the national team and a mainstay in the Swedish ski jumping elite.
- Legacy: He leaves behind an immense legacy, not least in the form of the respect and warmth that colleagues like Sven "Plex" Petersson and other veterans still carry with them.
Now, we await the chance to honour him in the way he deserves. There will likely be a moment in one of the hills where he once made so many of us ecstatic. Janne Holmlund leaves a great void, but also a story of a time when ski jumping was as much about heart as it was about technique. Rest in peace, Janne. You will never be forgotten.