Harald Christensen

For many years, the blacksmith Harald Christensen was considered Denmark’s best wrestler ever. He began wrestling at the Sparta sports club in Copenhagen and later joined the AK Dan. In 1900, he started competing exclusively in the Greco-Roman style. His first major success came in 1906 when he came 2nd in the Danish middleweight championship. Just one year later, he won the Danish champion in this class for the first time. Until 1914, he won the national title in the middleweight seven more consecutive times.

Christensen was particularly known for his defensive abilities winning many of his fights through stamina and perseverance. He had the following finishes at major championships – 1907 Unofficial World Championship: 85.0 kg. Greco-Roman (1st); 1908 Unofficial World Championship: 75.0 kg. Greco-Roman (3rd); 1910 World Championship (Düsseldorf): 85.0 kg. Greco-Roman (3rd); 1911 Unofficial World Championship (Dresden): 85 kg. Greco-Roman (1st); 1911 Unofficial World Championship (Wien): 85 kg. Greco-Roman (1st); 1911 Unofficial World Championship (Berlin): 85.0 kg. Greco-Roman (2nd); 1907 Unofficial European Championship: 85 kg. Greco-Roman (2nd); 1909 Unofficial European Championship (Malmö): 82.5 kg Greco-Roman (1st); 1910 Unofficial European Championship: 85.0 kg. Greco-Roman (3rd); 1911 Unofficial European Championship: 93.0 kg. Greco-Roman (1st); 1913 Unofficial European Championship: 82.5 kg. Greco-Roman (2nd).

At his two Olympic appearances, however, he was less fortunate. In the 1908 Light-Heavyweight class, he was eliminated after losing his first bout. In 1912, he met future silver-Medalist Ivar Böhling in the fifth round of the Middleweight B division. He was eliminated after losing by decision.

He emigrated to the USA in 1915 and took the name Harold “Mike” Howard. From 1921-1952 he was a coach at the University of Iowa, which is why he often called himself “Professor” and “Bear Hunter”. As a wrestling coach, he had 12 conference champions, 3 national champions and 12 individual all-American honors. His teams finished in the first division of the Big Ten 14 times with an overall record of 90-69-11. He was inducted into the University of Iowa Hall of Fame in 2002; the Mike Howard Award is still presented annually to Iowa’s most valuable wrestler.