Martin Klein (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Martin Klein was an Estonia
n wrestler
who competed for the Russian Empire
and took part in the 1912 Summer Olympics
.
He won the silver medal in the middleweight class. In a hostile semifinal against Finnish wrestler Alfred Asikainen
(both Finland and Estonia were under Russian domination, but Finland, unlike Estonia, was allowed to compete under their own flag), the two grappled for 11 hours and 40 minutes until finally Klein managed to pin the Asikainen. Klein was so exhausted from the bout - the longest wrestling match ever recorded - that he was unable to wrestle for the gold the next day, leaving Swedish wrestler Claes Johansson
with the gold medal.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n wrestler
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
who competed for the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and took part in the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
.
He won the silver medal in the middleweight class. In a hostile semifinal against Finnish wrestler Alfred Asikainen
Alfred Asikainen
Alfred Johan "Alpo" Asikainen was a Finnish wrestler who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.He won the bronze medal in the middleweight class.-External links:*...
(both Finland and Estonia were under Russian domination, but Finland, unlike Estonia, was allowed to compete under their own flag), the two grappled for 11 hours and 40 minutes until finally Klein managed to pin the Asikainen. Klein was so exhausted from the bout - the longest wrestling match ever recorded - that he was unable to wrestle for the gold the next day, leaving Swedish wrestler Claes Johansson
Claes Johansson
Claes Edvin Johansson was a Swedish wrestler who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics, in the 1920 Summer Olympics, and in the 1924 Summer Olympics....
with the gold medal.