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The IAAF has received the sad news that Gunder Hägg, Sweden’s

multiple World record breaker of the 1940’s era died Saturday 27 November

at the age of 85.

Hägg had been living in a nursing home near Malmö, Sweden for

sometime, and his failing health had confined him to a wheelchair. Born on 31

December 1918, he fell just short of his 86th birthday.

Hägg set over a dozen middle distance World records at events ranging

from 1500m to 5000m, including three at both the 1500m and the Mile, one at

3000m and one at 5000m.

Exchanging the records at 1500m and the Mile on a regular basis with his

compatriot Arne Andersson on tracks in Gothenburg, Malmö and Stockholm,

this duo of famous Swedes, benefitting from the relative calm of their

country’s neutrality during World War Two, obliterated the World records,

and redefined the boundaries of middle distance running.