Elmer Niklander

Elmer Niklander at the 1912 Olympics

Personal information

Full name

Elmer Konstantin Niklander

Nickname(s)

Elmeri, Niku, Oitin kanuuna

National team

Finland

Born

19 January 1890
Hausjärvi, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire

Died

12 November 1942 (aged 52)
Helsinki, Finland

Monument

statue Oitin kanuuna Elmer Niklander by Evert Porila in 1917

Occupation

farmer

Height

1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)

Weight

79 kg (174 lb)

Sport

Athletics

Events

Discus throw
Hammer throw
Javelin throw
Shot put

Club

Helsingin Kisa-Veikot
Helsingin Reipas
Oitin VPK:n urheilijat

Achievements and titles

National finals

44 Finnish championships in throwing events in 1909–1924

Personal bests

Discus throw: 47.18 m (1916)
Two-handed discus throw: 90.13 m (1913) WR
Hammer throw: 47.57 m (1916)
Javelin throw: 54.19 m (1916)
Shot put: 14.86 m (1913)
Two-handed shot put: 27.75 m (1913)
Weight throw: 10.76 m (1914)

Medal record

Representing Finland

Olympic Games
	1920 Antwerp	Discus throw
	1912 Stockholm	Two-handed discus throw
	1920 Antwerp	Shot put
	1912 Stockholm	Two-handed shot put

Elmer Konstantin Niklander (19 January 1890 – 12 November 1942) was a Finnish athlete who competed in throwing events, winning the gold medal in the 1920 discus throw and three other Olympic medals and 44 Finnish championships.

Athletics

Niklander started training at the age of 12 and competing at 17. He trained mostly on his brother's farm.^[1]

He excelled in two-handed throwing events.^[1]

Olympic Games

Elmer Niklander at the Olympic Games
Games	Event	Rank	Result	Notes
1908 Summer Olympics	Men's Greek discus throw	9th	32.46 m	Source:^[2]
	Men's shot put	9th–25th	unknown	Result was not officially recorded.^[3] Result was circa 11 metres.^[4] At the age of 18 years and 179 days, he is the youngest competitor in shot put in Olympic history (with a known birthdate; Miltiadis Gouskos might be younger).^[5]
	Men's discus throw	12th–42nd	unknown	Result was not officially recorded.^[6] Result was circa 36 metres.^[4]
1912 Summer Olympics	Men's shot put	4th	13.65 m
	Men's discus throw	4th	42.09 m	His first round throw. It broke the Olympic record, but was then broken on the second round.
	Men's two handed shot put	3rd	27.14 m
	Men's two handed discus throw	2nd	77.96 m
1920 Summer Olympics	Men's shot put	2nd	14.155 m
	Men's discus throw	1st	44.685 m
	Men's 56 pound weight throw	8th	8.865 m
1924 Summer Olympics	Men's shot put	6th	14.265 m	His fourth entrance in the event, which ties him for the record of most appearances in Olympic men's shot put.^[7]
1924 Summer Olympics	Men's discus throw	7th	42.09 m

In 1924, he served as the Olympic flag bearer for Finland.^[8]

National

Niklander won 44 titles at the Finnish Championships in Athletics in throwing events in 1909–1924, a national record in itself.^[9] Summary:

two-handed discus throw, 11 titles: 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1920
two-handed shot put, 11 titles: 1909, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1924
shot put, better hand only; 7 titles: 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1924
hammer throw, 6 titles: 1911, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918
discus throw, better hand only; 5 titles: 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918
Greek discus throw, 2 titles: 1912, 1913
weight throw, 2 titles: 1914, 1918

He also won 12 silvers and 1 bronze.^[10]

Records and bests

Niklander broke a world record once:

20 July 1913, two-handed discus throw, 90.13 m. The record still stands.^[10]

He also broke two world records unofficially:

1909, two-handed shot put, 26.89 m
1910, two-handed discus throw, 87.12 m

Neither result was ratified as a record because the dimensions of the throwing circle weren't up to the international standard.^[11]

He broke several Finnish national records:

25 October 1907, shot put, 13.47 m^[12]
4 July 1909, shot put, 14.68 m^[12]
19 June 1910, discus throw, 44.88 m^[13]
15 August 1910, hammer throw, 40.04 m^[14]
19 July 1913, two-handed shot put, 27.75 m^[11]^[10]
7 June 1914, hammer throw, 45.95 m^[14]
1914, weight throw, 10.76 m^[11]
4 July 1915, hammer throw, 47.18 m^[14]
12 June 1916, hammer throw, 47.57 m^[14]

Personal bests per event:^[10]

shot put, 14.86 m, 19 July 1913
two-handed shot put, 27.75 m, 19 July 1913
discus throw, 47.18 m, 16 July 1916
two-handed discus throw, 90.13 m, 20 July 1913
hammer throw, 47.57 m, 12 June 1916
javelin throw, 54.19 m, 12 June 1916
weight throw, 10.76 m, 1914

Personal

Niklander was born in Rutajärvi village in Hausjärvi on 18 January 1890 to father Konstantin Niklander (1848–1903) and mother Henriika née Harjula (1858–1942).^[15] His younger brother Siivo (1883–1961) made two Finnish national records in shot put in 1907.^[9]

Before the Finnish Civil War, Niklander joined the Hausjärvi White Guard and took part in the Mommila skirmish in November 1917. For this, the Red Guard sentenced him to death, and once the war began, he had to go into hiding.^[16]

Niklander died of stomach cancer on 12 November 1942.^[17]

Links

Elmer Niklander at Olympedia

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elmer Niklander.

^ ^a ^b Unkuri, Juhana (2022). Suomen 100 parasta urheilijaa kautta aikain (in Finnish). Juhana Unkuri. pp. 186–188. ISBN 9789529465682.
^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
^ ^a ^b Jukola, Martti (1952). Suuri olympiakirja (in Finnish). Porvoo: WSOY. pp. 40–41.
^ Butler, Mark, ed. (2016). IAAF Statistics Handbook. Special Edition. Games of the XXXI Olympiad. Rio 2016 (PDF). IAAF Communications Department. p. 24. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
^ Butler, Mark, ed. (2016). IAAF Statistics Handbook. Special Edition. Games of the XXXI Olympiad. Rio 2016 (PDF). IAAF Communications Department. p. 172. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Finland". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
^ ^a ^b Siukonen, Markku (2001). Urheilukunniamme puolustajat. Suomen olympiaedustajat 1906–2000. Suuri olympiateos (in Finnish). Vol. 12. Jyväskylä: Graface. p. 222. ISBN 951-98673-1-7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lilja, Hannu (2008). Oitin kanuuna. Elmer Niklander, heittolajien kuningas oman aikansa kuvastajana (in Finnish). Tampere: Mediapinta. p. 144. ISBN 978-952-235-015-2.
^ ^a ^b ^c Rantala, Risto; Siukonen, Markku; Tukiainen, Seppo, eds. (1972). Urheilumme kasvot. Osa 2. Suunnistus ja yleisurheilu (in Finnish). Jyväskylä: Scandia kirjat. p. 1248.
^ ^a ^b Laitinen, Esa (1987). Suomen yleisurheilun tilasto-osa (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Amateur Athletic Association. p. 583.
^ Laitinen, Esa (1987). Suomen yleisurheilun tilasto-osa (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Amateur Athletic Association. p. 584.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Laitinen, Esa (1987). Suomen yleisurheilun tilasto-osa (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Amateur Athletic Association. p. 585.
^ Lilja, Hannu (2008). Oitin kanuuna. Elmer Niklander, heittolajien kuningas oman aikansa kuvastajana (in Finnish). Tampere: Mediapinta. pp. 30–32. ISBN 978-952-235-015-2.
^ Lilja, Hannu (2008). Oitin kanuuna. Elmer Niklander, heittolajien kuningas oman aikansa kuvastajana (in Finnish). Tampere: Mediapinta. pp. 71–79. ISBN 978-952-235-015-2.
^ Lilja, Hannu (2008). Oitin kanuuna. Elmer Niklander, heittolajien kuningas oman aikansa kuvastajana (in Finnish). Tampere: Mediapinta. p. 124. ISBN 978-952-235-015-2.

Olympic champions in men's discus throw