Viktor Smeds

Viktor Reinhold Smeds (18 September 1885 – 22 February 1957) was a Finnish sportsleader and a boxer, who also won an Olympic bronze in gymnastics.

Viktor Smeds
Personal information
Full nameViktor Reinhold Smeds
National teamFinland
Born(1885-09-18)September 18, 1885
Petalax, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
DiedFebruary 22, 1957(1957-02-22) (aged 71)
Helsinki, Finland
Resting placeHietaniemi Cemetery, Helsinki
EducationFilosofian kandidaatti, University of Helsinki, 1907
OccupationChief executive officer, teacher, police chief, reporter, real estate agent
Spouse(s)
  1. Aina Maria Niska (1910)
  2. Helena Somow (1927)
  3. Greta Carlson (1952)
Sport
SportGymnastics, boxing
Club
  • Loviisa Tor
  • Helsingin Atleettiklubi
  • Helsingin Nyrkkeilyseura
Medal record
Representing Russia Finland
Olympic Games
Men's Gymnastics
Bronze medal – third place1908 London Gymnastics team

Sport

He was one of the most significant and internationally best-known sports leaders of his generation in Finland. His impact was especially pivotal in boxing. He also developed strength sports and wrestling, and won an Olympic medal in gymnastics.[1]

Olympics
Viktor Smeds at the Olympic Games
Games Sport Event Rank Notes
1908 Summer Olympics Gymnastics Men's team 3rd Source: [2]
1924 Summer Olympics Boxing Light heavyweight Did not start Source: [3]

He was the leader of the Finnish Olympic boxing team in 1932 and 1936.[4]

He was a wrestling judge at the 1920, 1924 and 1928 games, and a jury chairman in 1936 and 1948. He was a boxing judge at the 1928 and 1932 games and a jury chairman in 1948. He oversaw the boxing events at the 1952 games.[4]

He sat in the board of the Finnish Olympic Committee in 1932–1953.[4]

Other sport

He represented Finland in Nordic students' rowing competition twice. His team placed 3rd in 1907,[5] and 1st in 1908.[6]

He won the Finnish championship in boxing in light heavyweight in 1923 and heavyweight in 1925.[7][8] He also wrote some boxing-related guides.[1]

He also played football and tennis.[9]

Club memberships:

  • Lovisa Tor, founder and chairman[1]
  • Helsingin Nyrkkeilyseura, founder and chairman[1]
  • Helsingin Atleettiklubi, chairman[10]

Sports leader

International:[4][1]

He founded the Finnish Boxing Federation in 1923. He was the president of the federation until his death, except for one year-long break.[1]

He also was the chairman of the wrestling chapter of Finnish Gymnastics and Sports Federation in 1921–1922.[13]

Career

Smeds completed his matriculation exam in Vaasa Swedish Lycaeum in 1904, and graduated as a filosofian kandidaatti (roughly Master of Arts) from the University of Helsinki in 1907.[1]

He moved to Loviisa to teach Russian, gymnastics and physical education in 1909. He was also the local police chief.[1]

He was a businessman in various companies first in Saint Petersburg in 1916–1918 and then in Helsinki from 1918. He started his own business in 1940.[1]

He was a recruiter for the Finnish volunteers in the Waffen-SS.[14] He also interrogated Soviet prisoners of war in Finland. He left for Sweden in Operation Stella Polaris but soon returned to Finland.[15]

He spoke about twelve languages.[9]

Accolades

He received the following official decorations:[4]

Family

His parents were farmer Johan Erik Smeds and Lovisa Båsk.[1]

His first wife was Aina Maria Niska, sister of Algoth Niska, married in 1910.[16] They had two children:[1]

  1. Tove Maria, born 1912
  2. Björn, 1915–1952

His second wife was Helena Somow, married 1927. His third wife was Greta Carlson, married 1952.[1]

He's buried at the Hietaniemi Cemetery.[17]

Sources
  • Siukonen, Markku (2001). Urheilukunniamme puolustajat. Suomen olympiaedustajat 1906–2000. Suuri olympiateos (in Finnish). Jyväskylä: Graface. p. 312. ISBN 951-98673-1-7.
  • Viktor Smeds at Olympedia

References
  1. Autio, Veli-Matti (2007). "Smeds, Viktor". In Mäkelä-Alitalo, Anneli; et al. (eds.). Suomen kansallisbiografia. Studia biographica (in Finnish). Vol. 9: Siltanen–Tott. Helsinki: Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seura. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-951-746-450-5. ISSN 1456-2138.
  2. Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. pp. 185. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
  3. Comité Olympique Français. Avé, M. (ed.). Les Jeux de la VIIIe Olympiade Paris 1924 – Rapport Officiel [The Games of the VIIIth Olympiad Paris 1924 – Official Report] (PDF) (in French). Paris: Librairie de France. p. 200. Retrieved 1 October 2019 – via LA84 Foundation Digital Library.
  4. Lounasheimo, Ilmo; Salokangas, Atle (1993). Kehän ääreltä. 70 v. suomalaista nyrkkeilyä (in Finnish). Helsinki: Suomen nyrkkeilyliitto. pp. 82–83. ISBN 952-90-5201-4.
  5. Schwey. (September 1907). "Skandinaavialaisten ylioppilaitten soutukilpailu vuonna 1907". Suomen Urheilulehti (in Finnish). pp. 466–467. ISSN 0355-6085. Retrieved 5 October 2019 – via Digital Collections of National Library of Finland.
  6. "Soutu". Suomen Urheilulehti (in Finnish). July 1908. pp. 410–411. ISSN 0355-6085. Retrieved 5 October 2019 – via Digital Collections of National Library of Finland.
  7. Lounasheimo, Ilmo; Salokangas, Atle (1993). Kehän ääreltä. 70 v. suomalaista nyrkkeilyä (in Finnish). Helsinki: Suomen nyrkkeilyliitto. pp. 268–270. ISBN 952-90-5201-4.
  8. "SM-mitalistit 1923–1950" (in Finnish). Helsinki: Suomen Nyrkkeilyliitto. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  9. Sevón, Enzio (1983). "Viktor Smeds". Petalax historia (in Swedish). Vol. II. Petalax: Petalax hembygdsförening. pp. 565–568. ISBN 9519951911.
  10. Hytönen, Mattiesko (1991). Vanhin ja kaunein. Helsingin Atleettiklubi 1891–1991 (in Finnish). Helsinki. p. 36.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. "President". Corsier-sur-Vevey: United World Wrestling. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  12. Vares, Vesa (2022). "Kohti olympiaunelmaa". In Virtapohja, Kalle (ed.). SVUL:n vuosisata. Suomen suurin ja vaikutusvaltaisin urheilujärjestö [The Century of SVUL]. Suomen Urheilumuseosäätiön tutkimuksia (in Finnish). Vol. 4. Helsinki: Urheilun ja liikunnan kulttuurikeskus TAHTO, SVUL. p. 188. ISBN 9789526644219. ISSN 2243-1489.
  13. Järvinen, Eino (1977). 70 vuotta suomalaista painia 1906–1976 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Wrestling Federation. p. 62.
  14. Hakanpää, Mika; Saurio, Jari; Laitinen, Jouko; Uola, Mikko; Rosendahl, Raimo (2013). Suomalaisten Waffen-SS -vapaaehtoisten matrikkeli 1941–1943 (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Tampere: Veljesapu-Perinneyhdistys ry. p. 281. ISBN 9789529319305.
  15. Uola, Mikko (2013). Unelma kommunistisesta Suomesta 1944–1953 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Minerva. p. 228. ISBN 9789524927680.
  16. Kallonen, Kari (2014). Algoth Niska. Salakuljettajien kuningas (in Finnish). Tampere: Revontuli. p. 37. ISBN 9789526665269.
  17. "Smeds Viktor Reinhold". Hautahaku.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 24 February 2023.
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