Egil Danielsen
Danielsen after breaking the 70 m barrier in September 1953[1]
Personal information
Born9 November 1933
Hamar, Norway
Died29 July 2019 (aged 85)
Bergen, Norway
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight88 kg (194 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
EventJavelin throw
ClubHamar IL
Achievements and titles
Personal best85.71 m (1956)[1]
Medal record
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1956 Melbourne Javelin throw
European Championships
Silver medal – second place Stockholm 1958 Javelin throw

Egil Danielsen (9 November 1933 – 29 July 2019) was a Norwegian javelin thrower. He competed at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics and won the gold medal in 1956. Danielsen, who used an old-type wooden javelin, did poorly in the 1956 final, which was led by his Polish friend Janusz Sidło. Trying to help Danielsen, Sidło lent him his modern steel javelin, and Michel Macquet gave him a cup of strong coffee. Danielsen set a new world record at 85.71 m and won the gold medal. He could never reproduce that throw.[2][3][4] For his Olympic victory and world record Danielsen was selected Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year in 1956.[5]

Danielsen finished tenth at the 1954 European Championships and won a silver medal in 1958, behind Sidło. He became Norwegian champion in 1953–1957.[6]

Danielsen was an avid cross-country skier before changing to javelin throw. He took fencing lessons from a top Norwegian fencer to improve his flexibility, reflexes and the use of right arm. He retired after the 1960 Olympics and focused on his family and work at the Hamar Fire Brigade.[4] In the 2000s he was a minor political candidate for the Norwegian Pensioner Party.[7]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Egil Danielsen.
  1. 1 2 Egil Danielsen. trackfield.brinkster.net
  2. ↑ Egil Danielsen. sports-reference.com
  3. ↑ Athletics at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games: Men's Javelin Throw Archived 4 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  4. 1 2 Zablocki, Wojciech (January 2000). "Setting the record straight" (PDF). Journal of Olympic History: 8–10.
  5. ↑ "Norske Sportsjournalister Forbund - SPORTSJOURNALISTENES STATUETT". www.sportsjournalister.org. 29 December 2004. Archived from the original on 3 March 2006. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  6. ↑ Norwegian championships in javelin throw Archived 6 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine. friidrett.no (in Norwegian)
  7. ↑ Statistics Norway (2005). "Storting Election 2005. Official electoral lists, by county". Storting Election 2005. Archived from the original on 2 July 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2007.
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