Birth Date: | 23 January 1920 |
Birth Place: | Krylbo, Sweden |
Death Date: | 8 January 2000 (aged 79) |
Death Place: | Gävle, Sweden |
Height: | 1.84m (06.04feet) |
Weight: | 73kg (161lb) |
Sport: | Athletics |
Event: | 1500 m, 5000 m |
Club: | Gefle IF, Gävle |
Pb: | 1500 m – 3:44.4 (1947) 5000 m – 14:40.2 (1947) |
Show-Medals: | yes |
Knut Henry "Krylbo" Eriksson (23 January 1920 – 8 January 2000) was a Swedish middle-distance runner who specialized in the 1500 m event. In 1946 he finished second behind Lennart Strand, both at the national and European Championships. On 15 July 1947, at the national championships at Malmö, Eriksson and Strand had a very close 1500 m race. Strand won, equaling the world record at 3:43.0, and Eriksson finished second, setting his all-time personal best at 3:44.4. Eriksson beat Strand at the 1948 Swedish Championships and at the 1948 Summer Olympics. He retired the same year and returned to his work as a fireman.
Eriksson was one of the three Olympic Flame lighters of the 1956 Summer Olympics equestrian events at Stockholm. He held a world record in the 4 × 1500 m relay, together with three other fireman from his athletics club in Gävle.