Michael Simonsen

Mikael Simonsen rowed in the Danish four to win bronze at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. With only two boats in each race, they lost the semi-final against the eventual winner from Germany. Together with the loser of the second semi-final, the boat from Norway, they tied for bronze. Simonsen was also an excellent sculler and competed in the single sculls at the Olympics. After winning his heat, he did not start in round two. Two years later, he won this event at the Baltic Games in Malmö.

Simonsen was awarded the Danish Rowing Association’s golden badge in 1948. At that time, he was a member of the Århus Roklub. His medals were on display there but vanished during a renovation. Further memorabilia were given away by his second wife, who was not happy with his former rowing career.

In 1907, Simonsen married Laura Kirstine Nielsen, who died young at just 31 years of age. The couple settled in Århus (Aarhus). Two years after his first wife’s death, he remarried Olga Meedom. With both wives, Simonsen had two children, daughters from his first wife, sons from his second. He was an engineer by profession.