Raphael Holzdeppe

Raphael Marcel Holzdeppe (born 28 September 1989) is a German pole vaulter, who is currently world champion at his event. He lives in Zweibrücken in Germany and represents the sports club LAZ Zweibrücken.

Holzdeppe, who is of African origin, was adopted by a German couple shortly after his birth. He was born in Kaiserslautern in Germany.

Holzdeppe finished fifth at the 2006 World Junior Championships and won the 2008 World Junior Championships. At the 2007 European Junior Championships, he notably got no result, having no-heighted in the qualifying round. He received the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, behind countryman Björn Otto and Frenchmen Renaud Lavillenie.

His personal best jump is 5.92 metres, achieved on 24 June 2015 at the Baku Streets Athletics Meet. His previous personal best was 5.80 metres, achieved in June 2008, setting the world junior record. He holds the world junior indoor record with 5.68 metres, achieved in March 2008 in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. As a result of this feat, he won the 2008 European Athletics Rising Star of the Year Award. Meanwhile, he finished his Abitur in the lyceum of Helmholtz in Zweibrücken.

Holzdeppe won his first senior world title at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow with a jump of 5.89m.