imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) to :Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

2025-10-31T10:39:00Z

Moving Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) to Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

New page

{{Short description|Norwegian decathlete (1890–1984)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Helge Løvland
| image = Helge Løvland.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Løvland at the 1920 Olympic Games
| fullname = Helge Andreas Løvland
| birth_date = {{birth-date|11 May 1890}}
| birth_place = [[Froland]], Norway
| death_date = {{death-date and age|26 April 1984|11 May 1890}}
| death_place = [[Oslo]], Norway
| resting_place =
| monuments =
| education = [[Norwegian Military Academy]]
| occupation = Military officer ([[Lieutenant colonel]])
| years_active = 1913–1920 (athletics)
| employer = [[Norwegian Armed Forces]]<br>[[Norwegian Confederation of Sports]] (secretary-general)
| height = 1.88 m
| event = Pentathlon, decathlon, 110 metres hurdles, long jump, discus throw, javelin throw
| club = [[IF Ørnulf]]
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry| {{NOR}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1920 Summer Olympics|1920 Antwerp]] | [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|Decathlon]] }}
| show-medals = yes
}}

'''Helge Andreas Løvland''' (11 May 1890 – 26 April 1984) was a [[Norway|Norwegian]] military officer, [[track and field]] athlete, sports official and writer. He won the [[Olympic gold medal|gold medal]] in the [[decathlon]] at the [[1920 Olympics]]. Løvland was awarded the [[Egebergs Ærespris]] in 1919.

==Early life and education==
He was born in [[Froland]] as a son of forest owner Anders Løvland (1852–1928) and Helga née Lyngrot. He was a nephew of Norway's Prime Minister from 1907 to 1908, [[Jørgen Løvland]]. Helge Løvland attended [[Arendal Upper Secondary School]], but completed the [[examen artium]] at [[Aars og Voss School]] in 1911. He resided in [[Oslo|Kristiania]] until he graduated from the [[Norwegian Military Academy]] in 1914. He then resided in [[Harstad (town)|Harstad]] for two years as a Premier Lieutenant, also taking the State School of Gymnastics in 1917. He returned to Kristiania, and was in 1919 promoted to Captain in the infantry.<ref name=stud>{{cite book|editor=Jansen, Einar|editor-link=Einar Jansen|title=Studentene fra 1911: biografiske oplysninger samlet til 25-års jubileet 1936|year=1936|publisher=J. D. Beyer|location=Bergen|language=no|pages=264–265}}</ref>

==National-level career==
In Kristiania, he joined the sports club [[IF Ørnulf]] and made a local breakthrough in an athletics meet in 1913.<ref name=nbl>{{cite encyclopedia|year=|title=Helge Løvland|encyclopedia=[[Norsk biografisk leksikon]]|first=Per|last=Jorsett|author-link=Per Jorsett|editor=[[Knut Helle|Helle, Knut]]|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|url=https://snl.no/Helge_Andreas_L%C3%B8vland|language=no|accessdate=29 June 2025}}</ref> Løvland then entered the 1914 Norwegian Championships, and won the [[110 metres hurdles]]. He also managed a bronze medal in the [[long jump]] and silver in the [[javelin throw]].<ref name=110h>{{cite web|url=https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/m110h.htm|title=110 meter Hekk/Hurdles|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref><ref name=lj>{{cite web|url=https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/mlj.htm|title=Lengde/Long Jump|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref><ref name=jt>{{cite web|url=https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/mjt.htm|title=Spyd/Javelin Throw|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref> He did not enter the 1915 or 1916 championships.

Løvland returned to win four more national titles in the high hurdles, in 1917, 1918, 1919 and 1920.<ref name=110h/> He also won the long jump in 1919. He did that by erasing [[Ferdinand Bie]]'s championship record, but in turn, [[Sverre Hansen (athlete)|Sverre Hansen]] overtook it in 1921.<ref name=lj/> Moreover Løvland took three silver medals in the discus throw before winning the event in 1920, and won silver and bronze medals in the javelin in 1917, 1919 and 1920.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/mdt.htm|title=Diskos/Discus Throw|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref><ref name=jt/>

Coming late into the [[combined events]], Løvland won the Norwegian titles in the pentathlon in 1918 and 1919 as well as decathlon in 1919 and 1920.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/www.friidrett.no-mpen.htm|title=5-kamp/Pentathlon|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://epi-new.nif.no/globalassets/aktivitet/statistikk/norske-mesterskap/mdec.htm|title=10-kamp/Decathlon|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref> He set Norway's first official pentathlon [[Norwegian records in athletics|record]] in 1918, and improved it three times in 1918 and 1919. His last record stood until 1933.
Løvland's only decathlon record was set in July 1919 at [[Frogner stadion|Frogner Stadium]]. The points score was 7786.920 following the scoring system at the time; the modern scoring system (from 1985) sets it to 6033 points. As a Norwegian record, it stood until 1931, although that score was lower according to the modern system.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.friidrett.no/siteassets/aktivitet/statistikk/rekordenes-utvikling/rekordenes-utvikling-menn-mangekamp-og-stafetter.htm|title=Rekordenes Utvikling/Progression of the Records Men Mangekamp/Combined Events & Stafetter/Relays|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref> His 7786.920 score was also an unofficial world record;<ref name=olym/> official world records [[Decathlon world record progression|were not instituted until 1922]].

When it came to the Norwegian record in the 110 metres hurdles, Løvland faced 15.8 set by Ferdinand Bie in 1912. Løvland tied the result twice in 1918, and also improved it by 0.1 second in 1919, but all four results were disregarded as records. In three instances, it happened according to the rule at the time (until 1934) that no hurdles could be overturned. Løvland finally beat Bie's time in August 1919, clocking in 15.7 seconds in Bergen. One week later, he lowered it to 15.3 seconds at Frogner Stadium. This record was tied once by himself and six times by others until [[Holger Albrechtsen]] overtook it in 1929.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.friidrett.no/siteassets/aktivitet/statistikk/rekordenes-utvikling/rekordenes-utvikling-menn-lopsovelser.htm|title=Rekordenes Utvikling/Progression of the Records Men Løpsøvelser/Running events|publisher=Norwegian Athletics|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref>

Løvland was also a [[gymnastics|gymnast]], with his exploits in both sports awarding him the [[Egebergs Ærespris|Egebergs Honorary Prize]] in 1919. The King's Cup, awarded to the best overall athlete at the Norwegian Championships, was given to Løvland in 1919 and 1920.<ref name=nbl/>

==Olympic gold==
Partially owing to [[World War I]], Løvland would enter only one international competition, the [[1920 Olympic Games]].<ref name=nbl/> Here, he was also [[Norway at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Norway's]] [[List of flag bearers for Norway at the Olympics|flag bearer]]. The first event was the [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's pentathlon|pentathlon]], where Løvland only finished fifth.<ref name=olym>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/74187 |title=Helge Løvland |work=Olympedia |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref> The pentathlon did not include his favourite event, the 110 metres hurdles.

Having tied with [[Brutus Hamilton]] in the pentathlon, the American became Løvland's main rival in the [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|decathlon]]. Hamilton took the lead after the first event, the 100 metres, which was exacerbated by the long jump and shot put. Løvland performed below par in the long jump, but beat Hamilton in the 400 metres and high hurdles, and became the overall winner of the discus throw. Løvland also set a personal best in the [[pole vault]], and according to the scorekeepers, he had the chance of winning the decathlon if he finished the [[1500 metres]] 9 seconds faster than Hamilton. As Løvland finished 9.4 seconds ahead of Hamilton (4:48.4 versus 4:57.8 minutes), the Norwegian camp celebrated victory. Some declared Hamilton the winner, and following numerous messages back and forth, the 1500 metres score as well as Løvland's points score in the discus was also corrected, and he was finally pronounced winner. Løvland retired after the Olympics.<ref name=nbl/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/57228|title=Decathlon, Men [1912]|work=Olympedia|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref>

Løvland's Olympic victory score was 6803.355 points; 5803 according to the 1985 scoring system. Løvland is the oldest decathlon winner at the Olympics.<ref name=olym/> He was Norway's second Olympic champion in the combined events, though Ferdinand Bie's [[Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's pentathlon|pentathlon]] victory in 1912 has been [[Jim Thorpe#Olympic awards reinstated|revised]], first as a joint gold with [[Jim Thorpe]], and finally with Thorpe as the sole victor. Løvland would eventually be followed by [[Markus Rooth]] who won the [[Athletics at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon|Olympic decathlon of 2024]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/meninger/i/xmrWOV/en-av-de-aller-stoerste-bragdene|title=En av de aller største bragdene|last=Nesje|first=Erlend|date=3 August 2024|work=Aftenposten|language=no|access-date=29 June 2025}}</ref> In between, Norway also had the 1946 European champion in the decathlon, [[Godtfred Holmvang]], who spoke on being directly inspired by Løvland growing up, as they resided in the same district, and Holmvang was impressed by Løvland's physical stature.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Finborud|first1=Kjell|last2=Henriksen|first2=Thormod|last3=Schjander|first3=Nils|title=Idrettslaget Tyrving 1922–1997|year=1997|publisher=IL Tyrving|location=Sandvika|language=no|isbn=8299427304|page=15}}</ref>

==Post-active career==
From 1921, Løvland served in the [[Norwegian Armed Forces]] as Sports Inspector until 1930. He was then secretary-general of the [[Norwegian Confederation of Sports]] and the [[Norwegian Olympic Committee]] until 1940.<ref name=nbl/>

He also impacted a generation with his textbook on training instructions, ''Idrettsbok for norske gutter'' (1925). Other books include ''Fri-idrett'' (1924), ''Helse- og treningslære'' (1938) and ''Hold deg i form'' (1940).<ref name=nbl/>

The [[occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany]] entailed a ''sports strike'', in which most of organized sports in Norway ceased its activity, in part orchestrated by Løvland.<ref name=nbl/> He was later arrested in August 1943 during the occupying power's crackdown on military officers. He was shipped to Germany and imprisoned in [[Schildberg concentration camp|Schildberg]] and [[Luckenwalde concentration camp|Luckenwalde]].<ref>{{cite book|editor=Ottosen, Kristian|editor-link=Kristian Ottosen|title=Nordmenn i fangenskap 1940–1945|edition=1st|year=1995|publisher=Universitetsforlaget|location=Oslo|language=no|isbn=82-15-00288-9|page=429}}</ref>

After the war, he returned to the Armed Forces as a sports consultant, also chairing its Sports Council ({{lang|no|Forsvarets idrettsråd}}) from 1948 to his retirement in 1955. He reached the rank of Major in 1950 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1953.<ref name=nbl/> He also sat on the planning committee for the [[Norwegian School of Sport Sciences]], which would eventually be built at [[Sognsvann]]. Løvland was further decorated with the Ling Medal from the {{ill|Swedish Gymnastics Federation|sv|Svenska Gymnastikförbundet}} in 1939, the [[King's Medal of Merit in gold]] in 1940, and the [[Swedish Sports Confederation]] Gold Medal in 1954.<ref name=stud2/>

==Personal life==
Løvland married Gerd Holmboe Helmers (1898–1986) in August 1921; they had a daughter in 1923 and sons in 1925 and 1930. They resided in three different then-suburbs of Oslo, [[Grefsen]] from 1921, [[Blommenholm]] from 1926, and [[Smestad, Oslo|Smestad]] from 1935.<ref name=stud/>
Løvland was active within [[sports shooting|pistol shooting]], chairing the Norske Offiserers Pistolklubb in 1948–1950,<ref name=stud2>{{cite book|editor1=Jansen, Einar|editor1-link=Einar Jansen|editor2=Jansen, Ebba|title=Studentene fra 1911: biografiske opplysninger samlet til 50-års jubileet 1961|year=1961|publisher=J. D. Beyer|location=Bergen|language=no|page=137}}</ref> and was also a hobby chess player.<ref name=stud/>
He died in Oslo in 1984.<ref name=nbl/> A [[Relief|bronze relief]] depicting Løvland was unveiled in Froland on 9 June 2001.<ref>{{cite news|title=|date=11 June 2001|work=Agderposten|page=|language=no}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|Aw}}
{{succession box | title=[[Egebergs Ærespris]]| before=[[Gunnar Andersen]]| after=[[Harald Strøm]]| years=1919}}
{{succession box | title=[[List of flag bearers for Norway at the Olympics|Olympic flag bearer for Norway]]| before=none<br>(1912)| after=[[Harald Strøm]]<br>(1924 Winter)| years=1920}}
{{s-end}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Decathlon}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lovland, Helge}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1984 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Froland]]
[[Category:Athletes from Agder]]
[[Category:Norwegian men hurdlers]]
[[Category:Norwegian pentathletes]]
[[Category:Norwegian decathletes]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Norway]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Norway]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Olympic decathletes]]
[[Category:Norwegian military personnel]]
[[Category:Norwegian sports executives and administrators]]
[[Category:Norwegian resistance members]]
[[Category:Nazi concentration camp survivors]]
[[Category:Norwegian non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Norwegian sport shooters]]
[[Category:Recipients of the King's Medal of Merit in gold]]

Helge Løvland - Revision history

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) to :Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy