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Viktor Smeds
Finnish sportsman From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Viktor Reinhold Smeds (18 September 1885 – 22 February 1957) was a Finnish sportsleader and a boxer, who also won an Olympic bronze in gymnastics.
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Sport
Summarize
Perspective
Smeds was one of the most significant and internationally best-known sports leaders of his generation in Finland. His impact was especially pivotal in boxing. He also developed strength sports and wrestling, and won an Olympic medal in gymnastics.[1]
Olympics
He was the leader of the Finnish Olympic boxing team in 1932 and 1936.[4]
He was a wrestling judge at the 1920, 1924 and 1928 games, and a jury chairman in 1936 and 1948. He was a boxing judge at the 1928 and 1932 games and a jury chairman in 1948. He oversaw the boxing events at the 1952 games.[4]
He sat in the board of the Finnish Olympic Committee in 1932–1953.[4]
Other sport
He represented Finland in Nordic students' rowing competition twice. His team placed 3rd in 1907,[5] and 1st in 1908.[6]
He won the Finnish championship in boxing in light heavyweight in 1923 and heavyweight in 1925.[7][8] He also wrote some boxing-related guides.[1]
He also played football and tennis.[9]
Club memberships:
Sports leader
- International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, president in 1929–1952, honorary president[11]
- International Federation of Amateur Boxers / Amateur International Boxing Association, vice president in 1938–1950
- Associazione Pugilistica Professionistica Europea, board member[12]
He founded the Finnish Boxing Federation in 1923. He was the president of the federation until his death, except for one year-long break.[1]
He also was the chairman of the wrestling chapter of Finnish Gymnastics and Sports Federation in 1921–1922.[13]
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Career
Smeds completed his matriculation exam in Vaasa Swedish Lycaeum in 1904, and graduated as a filosofian kandidaatti (roughly Master of Arts) from the University of Helsinki in 1907.[1]
He moved to Loviisa to teach Russian, gymnastics and physical education in 1909. He was also the local police chief.[1]
He was a businessman in various companies first in Saint Petersburg in 1916–1918 and then in Helsinki from 1918. He started his own business in 1940.[1]
He was a recruiter for the Finnish volunteers in the Waffen-SS.[14] He also interrogated Soviet prisoners of war in Finland. He left for Sweden in Operation Stella Polaris but soon returned to Finland.[15]
He spoke about twelve languages.[9]
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Accolades
He received the following official decorations:[4]
- Finnish state decorations:
- Medal of Liberty, 1st Class
- Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland
- Commemorative medal of the Winter War
- foreign national orders:
- Commander of the Order of Vasa (Sweden)
- Knight of the Legion of Honour (France)
- Fourth Class of the Order of the White Star (Estonia)
- awards of sports:
- Grand Cross of Merit of Finnish physical education and sports
- Cross of Merit, 1st Class, of the Finnish Olympic Games 1952
- German Olympic Decoration, 1st Class
- Medaille d'honneur de l'Education Physique (France)
Family
His parents were farmer Johan Erik Smeds and Lovisa Båsk.[1]
His first wife was Aina Maria Niska, sister of Algoth Niska, married in 1910.[16] They had two children:[1]
- Tove Maria, born 1912
- Björn, 1915–1952
His second wife was Helena Somow, married 1927. His third wife was Greta Carlson, married 1952.[1]
He's buried at the Hietaniemi Cemetery.[17]
Sources
- Siukonen, Markku (2001). Urheilukunniamme puolustajat. Suomen olympiaedustajat 1906–2000. Suuri olympiateos (in Finnish). Jyväskylä: Graface. p. 312. ISBN 951-98673-1-7.
References
External links
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