Bruno Söderström

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Competed in Intercalated Games • Other
SexMale
Full nameVilhelm Bruno•Söderström
Used nameBruno•Söderström
Born28 October 1881 in Stockholm, Stockholm (SWE)
Died1 January 1969 in Stockholm, Stockholm (SWE)
Measurements184 cm / 78 kg
AffiliationsIFK Stockholm, Stockholm (SWE)
NOC Sweden
Medals OG IG
Gold 0 0
Silver 0 1
Bronze 1 1
Total 1 2

Biography

In track and field athletics Bruno Söderström specialised in the pole vault, winning four Swedish titles and an Olympic medal in the event. Söderström also had success in the javelin throw and the high jump, and later became a newspaper editor and author.

Söderström competed for IFK Stockholm at the 1900 Swedish championships where he won bronze in high jump, javelin throw, and the pole vault. Two years later he won his first national title in the pole vault before winning a further three titles in the discipline (1904, 1906, and 1907). Söderström also held the Swedish pole vault record from 1902 to 1909, improving the record on four occasions during this time.

At the 1906 Intercalated Games Söderström won silver in the pole vault and bronze in the freestyle javelin throw. He finished in joint-sixth place in the high jump and was the flag bearer for Sweden at the Opening Ceremony. Söderström won a bronze medal in the pole vault at the 1908 London Olympics, along with American Clare Jacobs and Canadian Ed Archibald, who all cleared 3.58 metres.

Söderström later worked as a banker and a sports administrator, sitting on the board of the Swedish Sports Confederation from 1907 to 1910. After a visit to the United States he was involved in the introduction of bowling in Sweden in 1909. A year later Söderström founded the sports newspaper Idrottsbladet, becoming the publication’s first editor. He also wrote several books, both non-fiction and fiction.

Personal Bests: HJ – 1.73 (1904); PV – 3.60 (1980); JT – 45.00 (1906).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1906 Intercalated Games Athletics SWE Bruno Söderström
High Jump, Men (Intercalated) =6
Pole Vault, Men (Intercalated) 2 Silver
Javelin Throw, Freestyle, Men (Intercalated) 3 Bronze
1908 Summer Olympics Athletics SWE Bruno Söderström
Pole Vault, Men (Olympic) =3 Bronze
Javelin Throw, Freestyle, Men (Olympic) AC

Other participations

Games Role NOC As
1906 Intercalated Games Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony SWE Bruno Söderström

Olympic family relations