18 Facts About Verner Weckman

Johan Verner Weckman was a wrestler who was the first Finnish Olympic gold medalist.

Verner Weckman was inspired to take up wrestling at the age of 15.

Verner Weckman joined the club Helsingfors Gymnastikklubben in 1902, then moved to Helsingin Atleettiklubi in 1903.

Verner Weckman won the Finnish national Greco-Roman heavyweight championship in 1904.

Verner Weckman won the unofficial Greco-Roman heavyweight world title in Duisburg in 1905.

Verner Weckman was pressured by the German Imperial Committee for Olympic Games to change citizenship and join the German team, but Weckman insisted on representing Finland.

Verner Weckman found a private financial supporter and four Finnish competitors travelled to Athens.

Verner Weckman was nominated into the 1908 Finnish Olympic team without trials.

Verner Weckman is the first Finn to win an Olympic gold, both including and excluding the Intercalated Games, and the first Finnish wrestler to win a world championship, although unofficially.

Verner Weckman joked that he was the first Russian Olympic winner, when he met with Soviets during negotiations for the Finnish war reparations to the Soviet Union.

Verner Weckman donated his gold medals to the Sports Museum of Finland.

Verner Weckman completed his matriculation exam at the Helsinki Swedish Real Lyceum in 1902.

Verner Weckman studied briefly in ETH Zurich and then moved to Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Verner Weckman graduated as a Master of Science in mechanical engineering in 1907 and electrical engineering in 1908.

Verner Weckman briefly served in Westinghouse Electric Corporation in France in 1909 and then worked as a technical director in asbestos mining in the Ural Mountains until 1921.

Verner Weckman was awarded the honorary title vuorineuvos in 1953.

Verner Weckman's parents were farm owner Anders Weckman and Fredrika Johansson.

Verner Weckman became a widow in 1947 and married Dagmar Maria Falin in 1948.