Harry Christian Hedegaard

Harry Christian Hedegaard was a 17-year-old student when he competed in the 1912 Olympics. He won a total of 20 Danish swimming championships between 1910-38 and competed successfully in Sweden, Norway, Germany, and America. He also acted as chairman of the Sørøvernes Svømmeklub.

Hedegaard was the son of a blacksmith. He was trained during a stay in New York from September 1912 to June 1914 and subsequently studied in København (Copenhagen). From 1917-18 he completed his military service as a cavalry officer. Until 1931, he then worked as a clerk for a Danish leather and fur wholesaler. During this time, he made several study trips abroad, including to the University of Tours in France. For the next three years, Hedegaard worked as an underwriter and became a director of the Dansk insurance company “Bauta“. In København (Copenhagen) he was engaged in local politics with the Radikale Venstre party.