Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

[Jacksf]

Is this not Sweden's Golden Age for Track and Field?

Stefan Holm
Carolina Kluft
Christian Olsson
Patrick Sojberg
Kallur Sisters
...any other top 10 Swedes?

[gh]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

At the 1948 Olympics, even without Hägg and Andersson, Sweden's men won 5 golds, 4 silvers and 4 bronzes and the women added a bronze.

In 1912 the men (there was no women's track at that point in Oly history) won 4 golds, 5 silvers and 5 bronzes.

[Per Andersen]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

I just hope they can sustain it. 10 years ago they were nowhere and they were trying to find out what the Norwegians were doing. Now the Norwegians are no longer competing in the sport it seems. ( I should not forget Thorkildsen) But the Swedes have some terrific young prospects in Emma Green HJ, Jeng in PV and Nossmy HH. They even have a promising middle distance runner in young Claesson. Interesting that Garry mentioned the '48 Games. Back then they called the 1500m "National Streckan"
(The National Distance) In Norway they hated that term.

[Grazerism]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

Sjoberg doesn't belong on list.

Don't forget Kajsa Bergqvist & Patrik Kristiansson!!!!

[26mi235]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

1948 might be misleading. They were a "neutral" county during the war and were probably less affected than other European countries. How much drop off was there by '52, especially once more of Europe (i.e., the USSR) started to compete.

[LinusL]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

I agree. 1948 is totally misleading. We even won the freakin' gold medal in soccer that year :P

[Powell]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

There's not that much depth in Swedish T&F, though. They are basically lucky to have 3 superstars. You only need to look at the European Cup results (at which all the best Swedes did compete) to realize they are not really a T&F superpower... but then again, with a population of 8 million or so it's hard to expect them to be one.

[Pego]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

<We even won the freakin' gold medal in soccer that year :P>

But a silver in WC '58. Home field helped, but still it was nice....:-)

[Jacksf]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

"There's not that much depth in Swedish T&F, though. They are basically lucky to have 3 superstars."
Considering the lack of depth you mention, I think it's even more impressive that they have as many top-level stars as they do.
...I guess Sojberg does not belong on the list as he is retired. But you could add Stefan Strand.

[gh]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

>1948 might be misleading. They were a "neutral" county during the war and
>were probably less affected than other European countries. How much drop off
>was there by '52, especially once more of Europe (i.e., the USSR) started to
>compete.>>

It's misleading to hardcore fans of track stats, but I suspect you'd be hardpressed to find an "average Swede" who would rate a rash of medals at this year's European Indoor as more of a golden age than monster Olympic success. Sports is chockfull of special-circumstances wins, and those who are the beneficiaries are quick to develop a blind spot as to why.

Nearly all the American women's medals from LA '84 would evaporate had the Eastbloc been there. You think that diminished U.S. pride al all those "successes"?

[jla]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

>>1948 might be misleading. They were a "neutral" county during the war
>and
>were probably less affected than other European countries. How much drop
>off
>was there by '52, especially once more of Europe (i.e., the USSR) started
>to
>compete.>>

It's misleading to hardcore fans of track stats, but I
>suspect you'd be hardpressed to find an "average Swede" who would rate a rash
>of medals at this year's European Indoor as more of a golden age than monster
>Olympic success. Sports is chockfull of special-circumstances wins, and those
>who are the beneficiaries are quick to develop a blind spot as to
>why.

Well, actually the memory of 1948 is faded by now among the "average Swede". It is only the "hardcore fans" that remember it and they know very well that it was very much an effect of WW2. From 3 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze in 1948, to 2 bronzes in 1952, to no medal at all in 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968.

The only real nostalgic "Golden age" that people think about nowadays is the Hägg/Andersson era in middle distance running in the early 1940's.

As for the current "Golden Age" it is very much noticed and appreciated by the "average Swede". And the amazing thing is that it is NOT just about one or two athletes or one or two magic occasions.

It all began in 2000 (2 gold, 1 silver at the European Indoors) and it has been going on since then. For a nation used to getting on average half a championships medal on World level and one on European level it is certainly a "Golden Age" when since 2000 there have been outdoors 11 World medals in 4 championships and 5 European medals in 1 championships - and indoors 11 in 3 and 15 in 3. And those 42 medals are spread over no less 13 athletes.

So I can assure that no one in Sweden at the moment dwells for even one second on what happened more than 50 years ago.

As for the 5 medals in Madrid the amazing thing is that it was considered a "B team" in advance with people like Kajsa Bergqvist, Christian Olsson, Patrik Kristiansson and Staffan Strand missing (for injury reasons) and with Stefan Holm a big question mark after his hamstring pull just one month before.

Furthermore the three gold medals now were achieved with marks featuring VERY high up on the all-time lists. Klüft's 4.948 and Holm's 2.40 were new championship bests and Kallur's 7.80 was just 0.06 from the EIC record. So the medals didn't come by default due to sub-par quality of the competition.

[observer]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

If you look at top 3 on the All Time Best list w 60 hurdles you will find:

Narochilenko URS 7.69 -90 Chelyabinsk
Oschkenat GDR 7.73 -89
Donkova BUL 7.74 -87

creepy, isn´t it?

[observer]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

Must be a Golden Age

Klüft
Christian Olsson
Stefan Holm
Kajsa Bergqvist (remember 2.06 in 2004)
Kallur

If you talk gold.

Swedish trivia: Gunder Hägg, died in 2004, would have been the first dream-miler (sub 4.00) if the idea of rabbits and pace to run for records had been invented at that time. He ran 4.01.4 in 1945 just enough to win the race. Than he was banned for not beeing an amateur...(his crime=200 USD for bringing 20.000 to the stands...)
Bannister was the lucky one, right?

[highjumpfan]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

I can't believe no one mentioned the great "swedish" hurdler Ludmila Enquist (sp?)

[gh]

Re: Golden Age for Swedish Track and Field?

She now has Ben Johnson disease (i.e., Canadians think he's a Jamaican). She's back to being Narozhilenko, the Russian.