Anders Gärderud
Encyclopedia
Sven Anders Gärderud (born 28 August 1946) is a Swedish
former athlete, winner of 3000 m steeplechase at the 1976 Summer Olympics
.
Born in Stockholm
, Anders Gärderud experimented with several events without any success, before he rose to athletic greatness in the 3000 m steeplechase.
Gärderud's first major tournament were the 1968 Summer Olympics
, where he was eliminated in the heats of 800 m
and 1500 m
. In the following years, Gärderud concentrated only to the 3000 m steeplechase, and was already a main favourite at the 1972 Summer Olympics
, but unfortunately he was suffering from a bad cold, and was eliminated in his heat. Gärderud was also eliminated in the heats of the 5000 m
at the Olympics, but only seven days later, he set a new 3000 m steeplechase world record of 8:20.8.
At the 1974 European Championships
, Gärderud was narrowly beaten by Bronisław Malinowski from Poland
, but managed to break the 3000 m steeplechase world record twice in 1975. At first he ran 8:10.4 and only six days later 8:09.8.
The culmination of Gärderud's career was at the 1976 Summer Olympics
, where after a stirring contest with Malinowski and Frank Baumgartl
, Gärderud won the gold medal
in a new world record of 8:08.02. His stirring victory in that event would earn him a share of the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
with cyclist Bernt Johansson
Anders Gärderud is also an accomplished orienteer
and was a member of the winning relay team at the 1977 Swedish Orienteering Championships.
He now regularly appears on Swedish TV as an athletics commentator and has also been national coach for the Swedish women's athletics team and Norwegian orienteering team.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
former athlete, winner of 3000 m steeplechase at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
.
Born in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Anders Gärderud experimented with several events without any success, before he rose to athletic greatness in the 3000 m steeplechase.
Gärderud's first major tournament were the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
, where he was eliminated in the heats of 800 m
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 1500 m
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
. In the following years, Gärderud concentrated only to the 3000 m steeplechase, and was already a main favourite at the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, but unfortunately he was suffering from a bad cold, and was eliminated in his heat. Gärderud was also eliminated in the heats of the 5000 m
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
at the Olympics, but only seven days later, he set a new 3000 m steeplechase world record of 8:20.8.
At the 1974 European Championships
1974 European Championships in Athletics
The 11th European Athletics Championships was held from 2 September to 8 September 1974 in the Stadio Olimpico of Rome, the capital of Italy.-Track:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982-Field:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982-Track:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982...
, Gärderud was narrowly beaten by Bronisław Malinowski from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, but managed to break the 3000 m steeplechase world record twice in 1975. At first he ran 8:10.4 and only six days later 8:09.8.
The culmination of Gärderud's career was at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, where after a stirring contest with Malinowski and Frank Baumgartl
Frank Baumgartl
Frank Baumgartl was an East German track and field athlete, who specialized in the 3000 meters steeplechase. He was born in Bad Schlema....
, Gärderud won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in a new world record of 8:08.02. His stirring victory in that event would earn him a share of the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
The Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal is an annual award "for the most significant Swedish sports achievement of the year". It has been awarded by a jury led by the Swedish morning paper Svenska Dagbladet since 1925. According to its statutes the Medal may be awarded in November or December to either...
with cyclist Bernt Johansson
Bernt Johansson
Bernt Harry Johansson is a retired road bicycle racer from Sweden, who was a professional rider from 1977 to 1981. A competitor at the 1972 Summer Olympics, he represented his native country once again at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, where he won the men's individual road race...
Anders Gärderud is also an accomplished orienteer
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
and was a member of the winning relay team at the 1977 Swedish Orienteering Championships.
He now regularly appears on Swedish TV as an athletics commentator and has also been national coach for the Swedish women's athletics team and Norwegian orienteering team.