Gunnar Höckert
Finnish runner (1910–1940)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gunnar Mikael Höckert (12 February 1910 – 11 February 1940) was a Finnish runner, winner of the 5000 m race at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Gunnar Höckert at the 1936 Olympics | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 12 February 1910 Helsinki, Finland | |||||||||||
| Died | 11 February 1940 (aged 29) Johannes, Finland | |||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||
| Weight | 67–69 kg (148–152 lb) | |||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||
Events | 1500 m, 5000 m, steeplechase | |||||||||||
| Club | Idrottsklubben 32, Helsinki | |||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||
| Personal bests | 1500 – 3:55.2 (1936) 3000 mS – 9:26.8 (1935) 5000 m – 14:22.2 (1936)[1][2] | |||||||||||
Medal record
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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.[3][4]
