Harald Strøm

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Other
SexMale
Full nameHarald Aleksander•Strøm
Used nameHarald•Strøm
Born14 October 1897 in Horten, Vestfold og Telemark (NOR)
Died25 December 1977 in Borre, Horten, Vestfold og Telemark (NOR)
AffiliationsHortens Skøyteklubb
NOC Norway

Biography

Harald Strøm was World Champion in 1922 and European Champion in 1923. In 1921 he was the first skater to better 8:30 in the 5,000 m, clocking 8:27.7 in a famous duel with Clas Thunberg on the Frogner ice rink in Oslo. During the 1922 World Championships, at the same track, he improved his own world record to 8:26.5, a record which would stand for seven years. Harald Strøm was one of the big favorites before the 1924 Olympic speed skating events, but got the flu after the Opening Ceremony in which he carried the Norwegian flag. In spite of that he started in all four distances, but was outside the medals with fourth place in the allround competition as his best Olympic placing.

Strøm was also an excellent football player, winning two Norwegian Championships with his club Ørn Horten in 1920 and 1927, and playing 16 matches for the Norwegian national side. In 1921 Harald Strøm was awarded the Egebergs Ærespris, a prestigious Norwegian award given to athletes who have excelled in more than one sport.

Personal Bests: 500 – 45.2 (1922); 1500 – 2:24.2 (1923); 5000 – 8:26.5 (1922); 10000 – 17:32.8 (1921).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1924 Winter Olympics Speed Skating (Skating) NOR Harald Strøm
500 metres, Men (Olympic) =8
1,500 metres, Men (Olympic) 5
5,000 metres, Men (Olympic) 5
10,000 metres, Men (Olympic) 5
Allround, Men (Olympic) 4

Olympic Records

Records may have been broken subsequently during the same competition.
Games Date Sport Event Phase Mark Pos
1924 Winter Olympics 26 January 1924 Speed Skating (Skating) 5,000 metres, Men Final Standings 8:54.6 5
1924 Winter Olympics 27 January 1924 Speed Skating (Skating) 10,000 metres, Men Final Standings 18:18.6 5

Other participations

Games Role NOC As
1924 Winter Olympics Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony NOR Harald Strøm

Special Notes