Gunnar Höckert

Gunnar Höckert

Gunnar Höckert at the 1936 Olympics
Personal information
Born	12 February 1910 Helsinki, Finland
Died	11 February 1940 (aged 29) Karelian Isthmus, Russia
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	67–69 kg (148–152 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	1500 m, 5000 m, steeplechase
Club	Idrottsklubben 32, Helsinki
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	1500 – 3:55.2 (1936) 3000 mS – 9:26.8 (1935) 5000 m – 14:22.2 (1936)[1][2]
Medal record Representing  Finland Olympic Games 1936 Berlin 5000 m

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 Gunnar's teammate Henry Jonsson got third place over Kohei Murakoso, 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 the 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 on the Karelian Isthmus, just one day before his thirtieth birthday.^[3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gunnar Höckert.

Records
Preceded by Henry Nielsen	Men's 3,000m World Record Holder 16 September 1936 – 14 August 1940	Succeeded by Henry Kälarne
Preceded by Don Lash	Men's Two Miles World Record Holder 24 September 1936 – 30 September 1937	Succeeded by Miklós Szabó