Verner Weckman

Verner Weckman

Personal information
Born	26 July 1882 Loviisa, Finland
Died	22 February 1968 (aged 85) Helsinki, Finland
Alma mater	University of Karlsruhe
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	85–90 kg
Sport
Sport	Greco-Roman wrestling
Club	Germania Karlsruhe
Medal record Representing  Finland Olympic Games 1908 London Light heavyweight Intercalated Games 1906 Athens Middleweight 1906 Athens Unlimited

Johan Verner Weckman (26 July 1882 – 22 February 1968) was a Greco-Roman wrestler from Finland. He competed at the 1906 Intercalated Games and the 1908 Summer Olympics and won two gold and one silver medal.^[1][2] He was the first Finnish olympic gold medalist.

Weckman was born in a farmer family in Loviisa and took Abitur in Helsinki 1902. Inspired by circus wrestlers he started to practice wrestling and won his first Finnish title in 1904. Next year he went to the University of Karlsruhe in Germany and won the unofficial world title in Duisburg.^[1][3]

After competing at the Olympics, Weckman graduated from the University of Karlsruhe and in 1909–1921 he worked as an engineer in Russia. In 1921 he moved to Suomen Kaapelitehdas Oy (Finnish Cable Works), the company which would later form the basis for the electronics business of the Nokia Corporation. He served as the executive director for 34 years, until 1955. In 1953 he was awarded the title of Vuorineuvos for his services.^[1]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Verner Weckman.