Oscar Fonbæk

Oscar Fonbæk was born in 1887 on a farm in Ullensaker 45 km north of Oslo. Four years later he and his family moved to Kristiania.

Fonbæk showed an early talent for long-distance running. At age 20, he ran 4:32.6 for 1,500 metres and 16:45.6 for 5,000 metres, second best in Norway that season for both distances. In 1908 he was second at the Norwegian Championships at 5,000 m and third at 1,500 m, but only the winner Nils Dahl was selected for the London Olympics in the longer distances.

Fonbæk later specialized in marahon running. In 1911 he did 3-01:18 in a 40.2 km track race, and in the selection race for the Stockholm Games in Kristiania (16 June 2012), he won in a time of 2-44:30, winning by over 10 minutes. The top three, all timed under 3 hours for the 40.2 km course, were selected for the Stockholm Olympics. In the Olympic marathon, Fonbæk started optimistically and was 10th after 15 km, but he stopped the race at the halfway point, exhausted. Half of the field, 34 runners out of 68, did not finish in the burning heat.

The Olympic marathon in 1912 would be the last competition in Fonbæks’ athletic areer. Little is known about his later life and career. He died in Oslo in 1965, aged 78.

Personal Bests: 1500 m – 4:28.0 (1909); 5000 m – 16:55.5 (1909); Marathon 2-44:30 (1912) 40.2 km.