- Gert Fredriksson
Gert Fridolf Fredriksson (
November 21 ,1919 –July 5 2006 ) was a Swedish kayaker.He was the most successful male canoeist ever, having gained medals in a succession of Swedish, Nordic, World and Olympic championships from 1942 - 1960. Fredriksson remains the most successful Swede at the Olympics, winning six gold medals at four Olympics. [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/OtherSports/2006/07/06/1671278-ap.html]
Fredriksson won his first Olympic gold medals at the
1948 Summer Olympics winning the 1,000 and 10,000 metre events. His margin of victory in the 10,000 metres was 30.5 seconds which is still an Olympic record in the event. [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/OtherSports/2006/07/06/1671278-ap.html]He also won seven gold medals at the World Championships and 71 medals in the Swedish championships. [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/OtherSports/2006/07/06/1671278-ap.html]
Frederiksson 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.References
* [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/OtherSports/2006/07/06/1671278-ap.html Slam sports "Swedish canoeist Gert Fredriksson, 6-time Olympic gold medallist, dies at 86" July 6 2006]
* [http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=6059 International Olympic Committee biography]
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