Gert Fredriksson

Gert Fredriksson

Statue of Fredriksson in 2009

Medal record Men's canoe sprint Olympic Games Gold 1948 London K-1 1000 m Gold 1948 London K-1 10000 m Gold 1952 Helsinki K-1 1000 m Gold 1956 Melbourne K-1 1000 m Gold 1956 Melbourne K-1 10000 m Gold 1960 Rome K-2 1000 m Silver 1952 Helsinki K-1 10000 m Bronze 1960 Rome K-1 1000 m World Championships Gold 1948 London K-1 500 m Gold 1948 London K-1 4 x 500 m Gold 1950 Copenhagen K-1 1000 m Gold 1950 Copenhagen K-1 4 x 500 m Gold 1954 Mâcon K-1 500 m Gold 1954 Mâcon K-1 1000 m Gold 1954 Mâcon K-1 4 x 500 m Silver 1950 Copenhagen K-1 10000 m Silver 1958 Prague K-1 500 m Bronze 1958 Prague K-1 1000 m Bronze 1958 Prague K-1 4 x 500 m

Gert Fridolf Fredriksson (November 21, 1919 in Nyköping, Södermanland – July 5, 2006) was a Swedish sprint canoer who competed from 1942 to 1964. 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.

Fredriksson at first place with fellow Swede Sven-Olof Sjödelius at the 1960 Summer Olympics.

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.^[1]

He also won seven gold medals at the World Championships and 71 medals in the Swedish championships.^[2]

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.

See also

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists

References

Notes

• ICF medalists for Olympic and World Championships - Part 1: flatwater (now sprint): 1936-2007.
• ICF medalists for Olympic and World Championships - Part 2: rest of flatwater (now sprint) and remaining canoeing disciplines: 1936-2007.
• International Olympic Committee biography
• Slam sports "Swedish canoeist Gert Fredriksson, 6-time Olympic gold medallist, dies at 86" July 6 2006
• Sports-reference.com profile
• Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Canoeing: Kayak Pairs 1000 Meters". In The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition. London: Aurum Press Limited. p. 475.