Janne Holmlund passes away – 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 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 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 wonderful Scanian charm. He belonged to the generation that laid the foundation for the status Swedish ski jumping still holds today. Watching him soar off the K90 hill was a pure delight, whether it was at the Swedish Championships or World Cup events.

Sorrow within Swedish skiing

All around the country, voices are being heard from everyone who knew Janne. It's not just the results people remember, but above all, his passion for the sport. When I caught up with a few 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 way of making the whole team feel at ease, even when the wind was tricky and the nerves were at their peak.

These are the kinds of figures that Sven "Plex" Petersson and many others from that time 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 period when it might not have always grabbed the headlines, but where the love for the sport was at its strongest.

Remembering the career that built the foundation

Janne Holmlund represented Sweden at several international championships. His strength wasn't always in the very highest placements, but in immense consistency and a determination that was infectious. During his active years, he became a role model for many young jumpers who looked up to him. Personally, he was one of those athletes you knew would always give his all, whether it was 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: During 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 a huge impact, 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 wait to honour him in the way he deserves. It 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.