Gunder Hägg

Gunder Hägg (right) sets a new world record for the mile at 4.06.2 in Gothenburg on July 1, 1942. Behind him is Arne Andersson.

Gunder Hägg (December 31, 1918, Albacken – November 27, 2004) was a Swedish runner and multiple world record breaker of the 1940s. Gunder Hägg set over a dozen middle distance world records at events ranging from 1500 to 5000 meters, including three at both the 1500 meters and the mile, one at 3000 meters and one at 5000 meters.

Hägg and fellow Swede, Arne Andersson, lowered the record for the mile to just over four minutes (4:01.4) - accelerating the progression of the world record in the mile run. Both athletes set three world records for the mile. Hägg first set the record in July 1942 at 4:06.2, a time which was equalled by Anderson later the same month. This record was broken by Hägg (4:04.6) in September the same year. Andersson recaptured the world record in July 1943 (4:02.6), and improved it further in July 1944 (4:01.6). However, Hägg had the last word when he ran 4:01.4 in Malmö in 1945 (Hägg's record was not broken until Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4 mile in Oxford in 1954).

Hagg was also the first man to run a sub 14 minute 5000 m.

In 1946, Gunder Hägg was branded a professional and barred from competition. Four years earlier, he earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal.

External links

• IAAF obituary

Records
Preceded by Jack Lovelock	Men's 1500 m World Record Holder August 10, 1941 – August 17, 1943	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Arne Andersson	Men's 1500 m World Record Holder July 7, 1944 – June 29, 1952	Succeeded by Werner Lueg
Preceded by Sydney Wooderson	Men's Mile World Record Holder July 1, 1942 – July 10, 1942	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Arne Andersson	Men's Mile World Record Holder September 4, 1942 – July 1, 1943	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Arne Andersson	Men's Mile World Record Holder July 17, 1945 – May 6, 1954	Succeeded by Roger Bannister
Preceded by Henry Kälarne	Men's 3000 m World Record Holder August 28, 1942 – August 12, 1949	Succeeded by Gaston Reiff
Preceded by Taisto Mäki	Men's Two Miles World Record Holder June 3, 1942 - August 26, 1952	Succeeded by Gaston Reiff
Preceded by Taisto Mäki	Men's 5000 m World Record Holder September 20, 1942 - May 30, 1954	Succeeded by Emil Zátopek
Preceded by Miklós Szabó	European Record Holder Men's 1500 m August 10, 1941 - August 16, 1943	Succeeded by Arne Andersson
Preceded by Arne Andersson	European Record Holder Men's 1500 m July 17, 1944 - July 14, 1947	Succeeded by Lennart Strand
Awards
Preceded by Alfred Dahlqvist	Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal 1942	Succeeded by Arne Andersson