Jarl Jakobsson

Jarl Jakobsson

Jarl Jakobsson circa 1904
Personal information
Full name	Jarl Gustaf Anian Jakobsson
National team	Finland
Born	(1880-05-11)11 May 1880 Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died	28 December 1951(1951-12-28) (aged 71) Helsinki, Finland
Education	Gym teacher, University of Helsinki, 1904
Spouse	Karin Adolfina Leontjeff
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event	Javelin throw
Club	Helsingin Reipas

Jarl Gustaf Anian Jakobsson (11 May 1880 – 28 December 1951) was a Finnish track and field athlete who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1]

Athletics

Jarl Jakobsson, with his brother Evert, emerged as javelin specialists in the summer of 1906. Their success was based on an alteration on the grip of the javelin. They had stapled two bits of stiff cord on it, improving its support for fingers. The existing world record for two handed javelin throw by Eric Lemming was 91.28 metres, but with their enhancement, Jarl broke it with 91.41 metres. It was then improved by Evert to 98.47, followed by Lemming imitating their grip and taking back the record with 104.40 metres. At this point, the new grip was banned, and all results achieved with it were disqualified, reverting the world record to 91.28.[2]

He entered four events in the Olympic Games:

Jarl Jakobsson at the Olympic Games

Year	Event	Rank	Result	Notes
1908	Javelin throw	8–16	unknown	Source:[3] His result wasn't officially recorded, but a newspaper correspondent reported that his throws were less than 40 metres.[4]
	Freestyle javelin throw	10–33	unknown	Source:[5]
	Standing long jump	8–25	unknown	Source:[6] Two Finnish newspaper correspondents reported his result as 310, which would place him 8th.[4][7]
	Shot put	Did not start		Source:[8]

Personal

His father was Gustav Jakobsson, and his mother was Josefina Ulrika Sjöberg. He married Karin Adolfina Leontjeff in 1906. They had daughters Karin Margareta, born in 1907, and Birgit in 1917.[9]

His brother Evert was another Finnish 1908 Olympian. Figure skater Walter Jakobsson, who won Olympic gold in 1920 pair skating, was his cousin.[10]

He graduated as a gym teacher in 1904.[9]

References

1. "Jarl Jakobsson". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
2. Jukola, Martti (1956). Huippu-urheilun historia (in Finnish) (3rd supplemented ed.). Helsinki: Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö. pp. 333–334.
3. Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
4. Tahko (28 July 1908). "Olympialaiset kisat". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Helsinki. p. 4. ISSN 0355-2047. Retrieved 31 July 2017 – via Digi — National Library's Digital Collections.
5. Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
6. Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
7. H-i L-o (29 July 1908). "Lontoon olympialaiset kisat". Työläinen (in Finnish). Porvoo: PB Osuuskunta Visa rl. p. 3. Retrieved 31 July 2017 – via Digi — National Library's Digital Collections.
8. Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2001). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, With Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina, United States: McFarland. p. 112, endnote 243. ISBN 978-0-7864-0598-5.
9. Carpelan, Tor; Thudeer, L. O. Th. (1925). Helsingin yliopisto. Opettajat ja virkamiehet vuodesta 1828 (in Finnish and Swedish). Vol. I. A–K. Helsinki: Söderström. p. 424.
10. Siukonen, Markku (2001). Urheilukunniamme puolustajat. Suomen olympiaedustajat 1906–2000. Suuri olympiateos (in Finnish). Vol. 12. Jyväskylä: Graface. p. 90. ISBN 951-98673-1-7.

External links

• Jarl Jakobsson at World Athletics
• Jarl Jakobsson at Olympedia