Erik Lundqvist

Nicknamed “Målarn” (“The Painter”), Erik Lundqvist had a very short, but highly successful career in international javelin throwing, basically only one year – 1928, when he won all but one of his meets, including Olympic gold and his only Swedish title. Thirteen days after his Olympic victory, he broke the world record, throwing 71.01 in Stockholm, becoming the first javelin thrower to break the 70 metre barrier. After his highly successful 1928 season, Lundqvist competed rarely, hampered by illness and injuries, although he managed to produce his personal best of 71.16 in 1936. Outside of sports, Lundqvist worked as a house painter, hence the nickname, in Grängesberg, an iron ore mining town in central Sweden.

Personal Best: JT – 71.16 (1936).