Assar Rönnlund

Assar Rönnlund
Rönnlund at the 1961 Swedish National Championships
Full nameBernt Assar Rönnlund
Born(1935-09-03)3 September 1935
Sävar, Sweden
Died5 January 2011(2011-01-05) (aged 75)
Umeå, Sweden
Height177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Ski clubIFK Umeå
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Sweden
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 2 0
World Championships 2 1 0
Total 3 3 0
Olympic Games
1964 Innsbruck 4 × 10 km relay
1964 Innsbruck 50 km
1968 Grenoble 4 × 10 km relay
World Championships
1962 Zakopane 15 km
1962 Zakopane 4 × 10 km relay
1962 Zakopane 50 km

Bernt Assar Rönnlund (3 September 1935 – 5 January 2011)[1] was a Swedish cross-country skier. Rönnlund's biggest success was at the 1962 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Zakopane where he won two gold medals (15 km and 4 × 10 km) and a silver (50 km). As a result, he earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal that year for his championship successes. Rönnlund was the anchorman of the Swedish 4 × 10 km relay team at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, bringing the team from fourth place to victory. Rönnlund also won the Vasaloppet in 1967[2] and the 50 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival twice (1962 and 1968). For his cross-country skiing successes, Rönnlund was awarded the Holmenkollen Medal in 1968 (shared with King Olav V, Gjermund Eggen and Bjørn Wirkola).

After retiring from active competition he was hired in 1972 by The Swedish Radio Corporation as a cross-country skiing commentator. He gained nationwide popularity working in a duo with Åke Strömmer.[3] Rönnlund retired from broadcasting after the 2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.[1]

Rönnlund was married to Inga-Britt Rönnlund and they had three sons, Michael, Lars and Tommy Rönnlund. Later he married Toini Gustafsson, a 1967 Holmenkollen medalist; they had two children together, plus one from the previous marriage of Gustafsson.[4] They became the second husband-wife team to earn this honor. They are also the only husband-wife team to ever win the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal with Gustafsson earning the honor in 1968.

Rönnlund died on 5 January 2011 after a period of illness.[1]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[5]

Olympic Games

  • 3 medals – (1 gold, 2 silver)
 Year   Age   15 km   30 km   50 km   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
1960 24 — — 12 —
1964 28 13 7 Silver Gold
1968 32 11 — 10 Silver

World Championships

  • 3 medals – (2 gold, 1 silver)
 Year   Age   15 km   30 km   50 km   4 × 10 km 
 relay 
1962 26 Gold 6 Silver Gold

References

  1. ^ a b c Gill, Sophie (5 January 2011). "Assar Rönnlund har avlidit" (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Historiska segrare" (PDF) (in Swedish). Vasaloppet. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  3. ^ Assar Rönnlund. Swedish Olympic Committee
  4. ^ Toini Rönnlund. Swedish Olympic Committee
  5. ^ "ROENNLUND Assar". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
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