Ragnar Stenberg

Ragnar Olaf Jakob Stenberg (14 June 1887 – 6 December 1954) was a Finnish sprinter, who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, and won five Finnish Championships in 1907–1909.

Ragnar Stenberg

Ragnar Stenberg circa 1906, wearing Helsingin Unitas uniform
Personal information
Full name	Ragnar Olof Jakob Stenberg
National team	Finland
Born	14 June 1887 Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died	6 December 1954 (aged 67) Helsinki, Finland
Education	Licentiate of dentistry, 1914
Occupation	Dentist
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprint
Club	Helsingin Unitas
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m: 10.9 s 200 m: 23.6 s 400 m: 52.4 s 110 m hurdles: 16.2 s[1]
Medal record Finnish Championships in Athletics 1907 110 m hurdles 1907 400 m 1907 Running 1909 110 m hurdles 1909 Running 1907 100 m 1907 Long jump 1909 100 m 1907 Triple jump

Athletics

Olympic Games

He was injured during the Finnish Olympic trials of 1908, but was selected based on his performance the previous year.[2]

Ragnar Stenberg at the Olympic Games

Games	Event	Result	Notes
1908 Summer Olympics	100 metres	5th in heat, did not advance to semifinals	Source:[3]
	200 metres	3rd in heat, did not advance to semifinals	Official records say he finished his heat, but Finnish sources say he did not finish due to muscle strain[2]
	400 metres	Did not start	Source:[4]
	800 metres	Did not start	Source:[5]
	110 metres hurdles	Did not start	Source:[6]
	400 metres hurdles	Did not start	Source:[7]

National

He is credited with two Finnish record times in 400 metres:[8]

• 9 September 1906, he tied the current record with 52.4 seconds
• 31 August 1908, his time 53.0 is noted as a national record

In the Finnish Championships in Athletics, he won a total of nine medals:

Ragnar Stenberg at the Finnish Championships in Athletics

Year	Event	Rank	Result	References
1907	100 metres	2nd	11.2	[9][10]
	400 metres	1st	54.7	[11][10]
	1500 metres	5th	4:46.2	[12]
	110 metre hurdles	1st	16.8	[13][10]
	Running championship	1st	339.35	[10]
	Standing + running long jump	2nd	12.13 (573 + 640)	[10]
	Triple jump	3rd	12.85	[14][10]
1909	100 metres	2nd	11.7	[9]
	400 metres	4th	56.1	[11]
	110 metre hurdles	1st	16.25	[13]
	Running championship	1st	329.88	[15]

Other

He was a board member of the Finnish Olympic Committee in 1919–1920 and 1923–1926, and a member of the International Association of Athletics Federations Council in 1921–1926. He also was a manager of Clas Thunberg.[16]

Personal

His parents were father Jakob Esaias Stenberg and mother Anna Maria Brofeldt.[17] His brother R. E. Stenberg was also a sprinter,[18] who broke the Finnish record for 4 × 100 metres relay in 1917.[19]

He graduated as a licentiate of dentistry in 1914.[17]

References

1. Hannus, Matti (1983). Mäki-Kuutti, Tarmo; Paananen, Riitta-Liisa; Forslund, Ritva (eds.). Yleisurheilu — tuhat tähteä. WSOY pikkujättiläinen (in Finnish). Porvoo, Helsinki, Juva: WSOY. pp. 570–571. ISBN 9510119008.
2. Laitinen, Esa (1993). Suomen yleisurheilu 1908 (in Finnish). p. 1. ISBN 952-904620-0.
3. 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. 48. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
4. 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. 102, endnote 47. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
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. 103, endnote 68. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
6. 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. 106, endnote 122. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
7. 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. 107, endnote 138. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
8. Laitinen, Esa (1987). Suomen yleisurheilun tilasto-osa (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Amateur Athletic Association. p. 567.
9. Hannus, Matti; Laitinen, Esa; Martiskainen, Seppo (2002). Kalevan kisat, Kalevan malja — vuosisata yleisurheilun Suomen mestaruuksia (in Finnish). Lahti: Suomen urheiluliiton julkaisut. p. 174. ISBN 951-96491-5-8.
10. Laitinen, Esa (1987). Suomen yleisurheilun tilasto-osa (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Amateur Athletic Association. p. 329.
11. Hannus, Matti; Laitinen, Esa; Martiskainen, Seppo (2002). Kalevan kisat, Kalevan malja — vuosisata yleisurheilun Suomen mestaruuksia (in Finnish). Lahti: Suomen urheiluliiton julkaisut. p. 181. ISBN 951-96491-5-8.
12. Hannus, Matti; Laitinen, Esa; Martiskainen, Seppo (2002). Kalevan kisat, Kalevan malja — vuosisata yleisurheilun Suomen mestaruuksia (in Finnish). Lahti: Suomen urheiluliiton julkaisut. p. 189. ISBN 951-96491-5-8.
13. Hannus, Matti; Laitinen, Esa; Martiskainen, Seppo (2002). Kalevan kisat, Kalevan malja — vuosisata yleisurheilun Suomen mestaruuksia (in Finnish). Lahti: Suomen urheiluliiton julkaisut. p. 207. ISBN 951-96491-5-8.
14. Hannus, Matti; Laitinen, Esa; Martiskainen, Seppo (2002). Kalevan kisat, Kalevan malja — vuosisata yleisurheilun Suomen mestaruuksia (in Finnish). Lahti: Suomen urheiluliiton julkaisut. p. 227. ISBN 951-96491-5-8.
15. Laitinen, Esa (1987). Suomen yleisurheilun tilasto-osa (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Amateur Athletic Association. p. 331.
16. Siukonen, Markku (2001). Urheilukunniamme puolustajat. Suomen olympiaedustajat 1906–2000. Suuri olympiateos (in Finnish). 12. Jyväskylä: Graface. p. 315. ISBN 951-98673-1-7.
17. Valtonen, Veikko, ed. (1949). Suomen hammaslääkärit 1948. Finlands tandläkare 1948 (in Finnish and Swedish). Helsinki. p. 399.
18. Soinio, Kaarlo, ed. (7 December 1916). "Viimeiset tulevat ensimmäisiksi". Suomen Urheilulehti (in Finnish). No. 8–10/1916–1917. Helsinki. p. 122. ISSN 0355-6085.
19. Laitinen, Esa (1987). Suomen yleisurheilun tilasto-osa (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Amateur Athletic Association. p. 576.