Inga Gentzel

Inga Gentzel won bronze in the inaugural women’s 800 metres at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. At a meet in Stockholm on 16 June 1928, shortly before the Olympics, Gentzel set a world record of 2:20.4, which lasted only two weeks before being broken by Lina Radke, who would win the Olympic gold medal in Amsterdam. Gentzel’s mark, however, remained a Swedish record until 1943.

Gentzel won a silver medal in the 1,000 metres at the 1926 Women’s World Games. She was Swedish Champion in the 1928 200 metres and the 800 metres in 1928-31. She later married, becoming Inga Dahlgren, and became a piano teacher in Nyköping, where she often appeared on Swedish radio as a member of the vocal group “Trio Rita”, together with Ulla Castegren and Anna-Lisa Cronström.

Personal Bests: 100 – unknown; 800 – 2:18.8e (1928).