Gustaf Lindh
Encyclopedia
Gustaf Allan Lindh (born May 21, 1926 in Tätort
Liden
, Sundsvall Municipality
) is a former Swedish
modern pentathlete
who competed in the winter pentathlon in the 1948 Winter Olympics
.
Gustaf Lindh is the only Olympic champion in Winter Pentathlon
. Winter pentathlon was a one time event solely held at the Olympic Games in 1948
in St. Moritz
. Sweden had four participants, including then future Olympic champion in modern pentathlon, William Grut
. Grut, Claes Egnell
und Bertil Haase
were about ten years older than Lindh and at that time the dominant athletes in Winter pentathlon, but Lindh went on to beat the favourites. He won the shooting
and riding
with the only flaw being a sixth rank in the downhill
event. His fellow teammate Haase won the downhill and the 10 km cross country
as he was an excellent skier, but did not finish tops in shooting, fencing
and riding.
Grut showed a balanced performance, but Lindh finished a point ahead of him and Haase. The fourth Swede, Egnell, broke his leg in the downhill, and had to abandon the competition in fourth place.
Like all other participants, Lindh was also a member of the armed forces. At age seventeen he had joined the Swedish Army
in Östersund
because of the lack of educational opportunites during World War II
. He attended military school (Swedish: volontär–, konstapel– och furirskola) as a Furir
(Private First Class) and excelled in winter sports. Already in his third appearance in a Winter Pentathlon in 1946, he won the Swedish championship and thus qualified for the Olympic Games. In autumn 1948, he was dismissed from the military and began training in the field of energy technology at the Tekniska Fackskolan (Technical Vocational School) in Sundsvall
, then worked as an engineer and designer for high-voltage lines. He continued his sports activities until a shattered jaw after a horse riding accident in Stockholm forced him to retire in 1954 and set an end to his career.
Lindh spent some years in the United States
, went back to Sweden at the end of 1960s and lives since in Viksjö
, Järfälla
northwest of Stockholm
.
Urban areas in Sweden
Urban area is a common English translation of the Swedish term tätort. The official term in English, used by Statistics Sweden, is, however, locality. There are 1,940 localities in Sweden . They could be compared with census-designated places in the United States.A tätort in Sweden has a minimum of...
Liden
Liden
Liden is a locality situated in Sundsvall Municipality, Västernorrland County, Sweden with 269 inhabitants in 2005.It is located near the river Indalsälven, 50 km north west of the city of Sundsvall....
, Sundsvall Municipality
Sundsvall Municipality
Sundsvall Municipality is a municipality in Västernorrland County, northern Sweden, where the city Sundsvall is the seat....
) is a former Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
modern pentathlete
Modern pentathlon
The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run...
who competed in the winter pentathlon in the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
.
Gustaf Lindh is the only Olympic champion in Winter Pentathlon
Winter pentathlon at the 1948 Winter Olympics
At the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, a winter pentathlon competition was held. It was one of two demonstration sports held at these Games.The pentathlon was composed of five segments:*cross-country skiing*shooting*downhill skiing*fencing...
. Winter pentathlon was a one time event solely held at the Olympic Games in 1948
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
. Sweden had four participants, including then future Olympic champion in modern pentathlon, William Grut
William Grut
William Oscar Guernsey Grut is a Swedish modern pentathlete and Olympic champion. He competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where he received a gold medal in modern pentathlon....
. Grut, Claes Egnell
Claes Egnell
Claes Egnell is a Swedish sport shooter and modern pentathlete, and an Olympic medalist. He competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, where he received a silver medal in modern pentathlon with the Swedish team....
und Bertil Haase
Bertil Haase
Bertil Robert Herman Haase Vidarsson is a former Swedish modern pentathlete. He competed at both Olympic Winter and Summer Games....
were about ten years older than Lindh and at that time the dominant athletes in Winter pentathlon, but Lindh went on to beat the favourites. He won the shooting
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
and riding
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
with the only flaw being a sixth rank in the downhill
Downhill
Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
event. His fellow teammate Haase won the downhill and the 10 km cross country
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
as he was an excellent skier, but did not finish tops in shooting, fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
and riding.
Grut showed a balanced performance, but Lindh finished a point ahead of him and Haase. The fourth Swede, Egnell, broke his leg in the downhill, and had to abandon the competition in fourth place.
Like all other participants, Lindh was also a member of the armed forces. At age seventeen he had joined the Swedish Army
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army is one of the oldest standing armies in the world and a branch of the Swedish Armed Forces; it is in charge of land operations. General Sverker Göranson is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army.- Organization :...
in Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
because of the lack of educational opportunites during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He attended military school (Swedish: volontär–, konstapel– och furirskola) as a Furir
Furir
-Origin 1600:The responsibility of a furir was to arrange for housing as well as the distribution of food in a Company.-1875:Holders of the rank Furir were elevated to Sergeant and the rank was removed.-1914:...
(Private First Class) and excelled in winter sports. Already in his third appearance in a Winter Pentathlon in 1946, he won the Swedish championship and thus qualified for the Olympic Games. In autumn 1948, he was dismissed from the military and began training in the field of energy technology at the Tekniska Fackskolan (Technical Vocational School) in Sundsvall
Sundsvall
-External links:* - Official site from Nordisk Familjebok - Sundsvalls tourist information bureau. - The alternative guide to Sundsvall. - Blog with photos from Sundsvall....
, then worked as an engineer and designer for high-voltage lines. He continued his sports activities until a shattered jaw after a horse riding accident in Stockholm forced him to retire in 1954 and set an end to his career.
Lindh spent some years in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, went back to Sweden at the end of 1960s and lives since in Viksjö
Viksjö
Viksjö is a district of Järfälla Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, in the Stockholm urban area.Viksjö has 15,000 inhabitants. The district was developed in the 1970s. The architecture consists mainly of detached terraced houses....
, Järfälla
Järfälla Municipality
Järfälla Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, and is considered a suburb of Stockholm. Its seat is located in Jakobsberg....
northwest of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.