In-form Holm sets sights high for gold

BIRMINGHAM, England, March 2 (Reuters) Sweden's Stefan Holm believes he will have to be close to his personal best of 2.40 metres if he is to retain the high jump title at the European indoor championships on Sunday.

Holm, 30, cleared that height when beating Yaroslav Rybakov to the gold in Madrid two years ago and he will be up against another strong Russian, Andrey Tereshin, in tomorrow's qualifying round.

''The first thing with a championship is try to get the best place you can,'' Olympic champion Holm told reporters.

''I want to win the competition but if it takes 2.40 to win a competition, I won't argue with that.

''I think somewhere around 2.35 or higher (to win) but you never know. I mean, look at Helsinki one and a half years ago. It took 2.32 to win the world outdoors,'' he said.

Tereshin, world indoor silver-medallist last year, has a best this year of 2.35, but Holm comes into the competition in good form having jumped 2.38 to win the Swedish championship last weekend, ahead of Linus Thornblad who also cleared the height.

''I was very unsure about my form two years ago in Madrid,'' said Holm, who at 1.81 metres is one of the smaller athletes in the event.

''It was very much up and down in training, but that day in Madrid everything worked out. I feel much more secure in my technique and my form today but when it comes to jumping you never know.

''It's been a great season for high jumping,'' he added. ''I can't explain why but I was quite shocked that there have been so many good performances this winter.'' As for breaking Cuban Javier Sotomayor's indoor world record of 2.43 which has its 18th anniversary on Sunday, Holm said: ''It takes a perfect jump on a perfect day but I don't think it's impossible.'' REUTERS SSC ND1800