Gunder Hägg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gunder Hägg (right) sets a new world record for the mile at 4.06.2 in Gothenburg on July 1, 1942. Behind him is Arne Andersson.

Gunder Hägg (December 31, 1918 – November 27, 2004) was a Swedish runner and multiple world record breaker of the 1940s. Gunder Hägg set over a dozen middle distance world records at events ranging from 1500 metres to 5000 meters, including three at both the 1500 meters and the mile, one at 3000 meters and one at 5000 meters.

Hägg and fellow Swede, Arne Andersson, lowered the record for the mile to just over four minutes (4:01.4) - accelerating the progression of the Mile record. Both athletes set three world records for the mile. Hägg first set the record in July 1942 at 4:06.2, a time which was equalled by Anderson later the same month. This record was broken by Hägg (4:04.6) in September the same year. Andersson recaptured the world record in July 1943 (4:02.6), and improved it further in July 1944 (4:01.6). However, Hägg had the last word when he ran 4:01.4 in Malmö in 1945 (Hägg's record was not broken until Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4 Mile in Oxford in 1954).

In 1946, Gunder Hägg was branded a professional and barred from competition. Seven years earlier, he earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal.

[edit] External links

IAAF obituary

Records
Preceded by Jack Lovelock	Men's 1,500m World Record Holder August 10, 1941 – August 17, 1943	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Arne Andersson	Men's 1,500m World Record Holder July 7, 1944 – June 29, 1952	Succeeded by Werner Lueg
Preceded by Sydney Wooderson	Men's Mile World Record Holder July 1, 1942 – July 10, 1942	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Arne Andersson	Men's Mile World Record Holder September 4, 1942 – July 1, 1943	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Arne Andersson	Men's Mile World Record Holder July 17, 1945 – May 6, 1954	Succeeded by Roger Bannister
Preceded by Henry Kalarne	Men's 3,000m World Record Holder August 28, 1942 – August 12, 1949	Succeeded by Gaston Reiff
Awards
Preceded by Alfred Dahlqvist	Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal 1942	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Frank Sinkwich	Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year 1943	Succeeded by Byron Nelson