Gunnar Larsson
| Personal information |
| Full name |
Karl Gunnar Larsson |
| Nationality |
Swedish |
| Born |
(1951-05-12) 12 May 1951 (age 62)
Malmö, Skåne, Sweden |
| Height |
1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight |
86 kg (190 lb) |
| Sport |
| Sport |
Swimming |
|
| Stroke(s) |
Medley |
| Club |
SK Ran and Malmö SS |
|
|
Karl Gunnar Larsson (born 12 May 1951) is a former swimmer from Sweden. He won the 400 m individual medley event at the 1972 Summer Olympics by 0.002 seconds over American Tim McKee, breaking the Olympic record.[1] This was the reason the rules were changed, and today swimming times are measured in hundredths of a second.
He also won the 200 m individual medley event at the same Olympic Games, setting the new world record.[1] Two years earlier, Larsson received the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal due to his swimming at the 1970 European championships where he won three gold (200 m medley, 400 m medley and 400 m freestyle) and one silver (200 m freestyle).[2] A year later, 1973, Larsson won the 200 m individual medley at the first official FINA World Championships in Belgrade.[2]
During his career, Larsson set three world and eight European records.[3] Together with Arne Borg he is considered as Sweden's greatest swimmer of all time. In 1979, he was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[4]
Larsson retired from competitive swimming in 1973 and until 1980 worked as a swimming coach. Later he took miscellaneous jobs, mostly with McDonalds and the Swedish Swimming Federation (2000–2005); he also did one year of acting in 2003. Between 1974 and 2004 he worked as part-time swimming commentator with radio stations.
His mother died in 1960 when he was only 9 years old. In 1979, he married Marianne Larsson. They have three children: Lotten (b. 1978), Emelie (b. 1980) and Amanda (b. 1989).[3] His elder sisters, Karin and Kristina, are also former Olympic swimmers.[1]
References [edit]
| Persondata |
| Name |
Larsson, Gunnar |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Swimmer |
| Date of birth |
12 May 1951 |
| Place of birth |
Malmö, Skåne |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
Gary Hall Sr.
David Wilkie
