Gert Fredriksson Explained

Fullname:Gert Fridolf Fredriksson
Birth Date:21 November 1919
Birth Place:Nyköping, Sweden
Death Date:5 July 2006 (aged 86)
Death Place:Nyköping, Sweden
Height:1.76 m
Weight:72 kg
Sport:Canoe sprint
Club:Nyköpings Kanotklubb

Gert Fridolf Fredriksson (21 November 1919 – 5 July 2006) was a Swedish sprint canoeist. Competing in four Summer Olympics, he won eight medals including six golds (1948: K-1 1000 m, K-1 10000 m; 1952: K-1 1000 m, 1956: K-1 1000 m, K-1 10000 m; 1960: K-2 1000 m), one silver (1952: K-1 10000 m), and one bronze (K-1 1000 m). At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Fredriksson was head coach of the Swedish team.

He was the most successful male canoeist ever, having gained medals in a succession of Swedish, Nordic, World and Olympic championships from 1942 to 1960. With six gold medals Fredriksson remains the most successful Swede at the Olympics.[1]

He also won seven gold medals at the World Championships and 71 medals in the Swedish championships.[1]

Fredriksson was awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1949. In 1956 he was awarded the Mohammad Taher trophy by the International Olympic Committee as the number one sportsman in the world, the only canoeist to be presented with this trophy.[2]

YearEventGoldSilverBronze
1946–1955K-1 500 m2  
K-1 1000 m5  
K-1 10000 m5  
K-1 4×500 m relay5  
Total  17  
YearEventGoldSilverBronze
1942–1960K-1 500 m11 
K-1 1000 m1611
K-1 10000 m15 1
Total  3222

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. . slam.canoe.ca. 6 July 2006
  2. Gert Fredriksson . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006110501/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/fr/gert-fredriksson-1.html . 6 October 2014.