Eric Lemming

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Arts & Culture

Eric Lemming

Swedish athlete

Also known as: Eric Otto Valdemar Lemming, Erik Lemming

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 18, 2024 • Article History

Category: Arts & Culture

In full:: Eric Otto Valdemar Lemming

Eric also spelled:: Erik

Born:: Feb. 22, 1880, Gothenburg, Swed.

Died:: June 5, 1930, Gothenburg (aged 50)

Awards And Honors:: Olympic Games

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Eric Lemming (born Feb. 22, 1880, Gothenburg, Swed.—died June 5, 1930, Gothenburg) was a Swedish track-and-field athlete who was the first great javelin thrower of the modern era. He won gold medals in the first two Olympic javelin contests. Lemming was the finest of the Scandinavian athletes who dominated the javelin throw in the early 20th century. A very strong javelin thrower skilled in both the modern style (with the grip in the middle of the javelin shaft) and freestyle (generally using a rear grip), he set his first world record in 1899, hurling the javelin 49.32 metres (161 feet ...(100 of 229 words)

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