Olav Aarnes

Aarnes was born on a farm in Sauherad, Telemark, and started his high jumping career in the nearby town of Notodden as a member of the club SK Snøgg. He won his first serious competition in Notodden on 25 June 1911, clearing 1.73 metres. In 1912, two Olympic selection meets were held in Oslo. In the first he placed third at 1.73, while in the second he was second with a new personal best of 1.755 m. He was then selected as one of the three Norwegians to compete at the Stockholm Olympics, in which he cleared 1.75, but did not qualify for the final round. After returning home from Stockholm, he improved his personal best to 1.775 on his home ground in Notodden, and in 1913 he improved to 1.80. He ended his high jump career in 1916 with a season best of 1.79, his second best mark ever. Aarnes never won a medal at the Norwegian Championships. Except for his 1912 season, he competed only locally in Telemark. Aarnes died in 1992 at age 103 years and 8 months and remains the longest-lived Norwegian Olympian (through 2022).

Personal Best: HJ – 1.80 (1913).