Vilhelm ANDERSSON

Wille Andersson’s father, a dentist, had a view to the Strömbadet from his practice. Wille dominated freestyle swimming in Scandinavia prior to the era of Arne Borg, winning 24 national championships. His greatest successes internationally, however, came in water polo and he is considered the most technically gifted Swedish water polo player ever.

Andersson competed in four Olympics prior to and after World War I. In 1908 and 1912 he swam the long freestyle events and in 1912, 1920 and 1924 he played water polo, winning two medals in water polo in 1912 (silver) and 1920 (bronze). Andersson was famous for his style and swimming ability, but was erratic in his training and in competitions

In the 100 Yearbook 1906-2006 of his club SK Neptun, Andersson is described as a bohemian, polo professor and troubadour. Parallel to his swimming career, he worked as a businessman in Stockholm (1909-17) and Göteborg (1917-20). In 1921, he was appointed editor of the Swedish sports newspaper Idrottsbladet. From 1925 to his untimely death in 1933, he was Managing Director of the Vitkopia Company, providing reprographic techniques. His son, Carl-Wilhelm was an esteemed relay swimmer for Neptun after World War II. His younger brother Cletus was also an excellent freestyle swimmer and a 1924 Olympian on the Swedish water polo team. He was not related, however, to his teammates Robert and Erik Andersson.