Sidney Stranne

Sidney Stranne made his Olympic début at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics with a sixth place in the first edition of modern pentathlon behind four compatriots and the American George Patton. Stranne completed a very balanced competition with a third place in fencing as his best result. He returned to the Olympics 16 years later in Amsterdam in 1928. As a reserve athlete for the Swedish épée team he was eliminated in the first round after a narrow defeat on touches against Portugal.

Stranne passed his exams for the university entrance in 1905 but preferred to pursue a military career. In 1907, he was commissioned as second lieutenant in the reserve of Wendes artillery regiment. As a gymnastics director he ran an institute for physiotherapy in Leipzig from 1913-15. From 1914, he served in the Svea artillery regiment. Stranne participated in the Finnish Civil War in 1918, first as captain in the Swedish brigade, then as battalion commander in the Finnish Army. From 1919, he worked as a physiotherapist in Stockholm. Four years later he was promoted to captain and eventually joined the Air Force reserve in 1942.

Stranne was awarded the Finnish Cross of Liberty, the Finnish War Medal, and the German Knight’s Cross. He never married.