Leif Ekman

Leif Ekman was the son of noted Swedish marine scientist and industrialist Gustav Ekman. In 1900 Gustav bought Råda säteri, a large country estate not too far from Göteborg, which was visited by many notable scientists of the time including Albert Einstein. Leif would later become the owner of the manor as well as being the county ombudsman for the Swedish Nature Conservation Association.

Ekman was a talented athlete who was the Swedish record holder in the standing high jump from 1912 to 1913. His jump of 1.51 metres was eventually bettered by Edvard Möller who held the record until 1916. Ekman competed in the standing high jump at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics where he cleared 1.45 metres, just five centimetres short of the qualifying height to advance to the final.