Christian Christensen

In addition to being a champion middle and long-distance runner, Denmark’s Christian Christensen also had a career as a printer. Christensen began his athletics career as a long-distance runner when he ran a 100 km race in 1896 in a Danish record that stood for 60 years. The following year he broke the world record in the 50 km on two occasions in the space of just a week. In 1898 he switched to middle-distance races becoming the Danish champion in the mile in 1899. He also finished in second place in the mile at the Danish championships in 1898 and 1901. In 1899 and 1900 Christensen won the Dicksonpokalen (Dickson Trophy) in the mile at the annual event in Stockholm.

At the 1900 Paris Olympics Christensen competed in four middle-distance races. In the 800 metres he finished in fifth place in his heat but did not advance to the final. He ran in the 1,500 metres where again he finished in fifth place although only nine athletes took part in the event. Christensen also ran in two non-medal handicap races at the Paris Games. In the 800 metres Christensen came first despite having a 70 metres handicap. In the 1,500 metres he finished in second place after starting with a 90 metres handicap. After the Paris Olympics Christensen and a friend walked through France into Spain, before heading along the Mediterranean to Italy, and then walked through Switzerland and Germany to get all the way home in Denmark.

Outside of athletics Christensen worked as a printer, starting out as an apprentice in 1890. Three years later he attended a new vocational college for printers and became Denmark’s first typographer. In 1906 he started his own printing house, which produced multiple high quality publications, including a selection of works by the American poet Walt Whitman.

Personal Best: 1500 - 4.09.8e (1900).