Gunnar Höckert

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Gunnar Mikael Höckert (12 February 1910 – 11 February 1940) was a Finnish runner, winner of the 5000 m race at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Biography

Born in Helsinki to a wealthy family, Gunnar Höckert had only one great season, in 1936. The 5000 m final at the Berlin Olympics started in a good pace. The tempo was dictated by American Donald Lash, but he was overtaken by three Finns after 2,000 m. Soon the race turned into a battle between Höckert and defending Olympic Champion and world record holder Lauri Lehtinen. In the last lap Höckert overran Lehtinen to win in a world's season best time of 14:22.2. In this same race Swedish Henry Jonsson got third place over Kohei Murakoso, the Japanese runner who was leading the race at the beginning.[1]

Later on that season, on 16 September in Stockholm, Höckert ran a new world record in 3,000 m (8:14.8). A week later, on the same track, Höckert ran a new world record in 2 miles (8:57.4) and another week later, he equalled the Jules Ladoumegue's 2,000 m world record of 5:21.8 in Malmö.[1]

The rest of Höckert's athletics career was hampered by rheumatism, and he never again achieved the times he had run in 1936. He went to the Winter War as a volunteer, progressing to 2nd lieutenant. He was killed during the Winter War in Johannes on the Karelian Isthmus, just one day before his thirtieth birthday.[2][3]

References

  1. a b Template:Cite Sports-Reference
  2. Wallechinsky, David (2004). The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics, Toronto: Sport Classic Books. Template:ISBN
  3. Template:Cite Sports-Reference

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External links

Records
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Men's 3,000m World Record Holder
16 September 1936 – 14 August 1940 Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Men's Two Miles World Record Holder
24 September 1936 – 30 September 1937 Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by

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