Gösta GÄRDIN

Second Lieutenant Gösta Gärdin won the individual modern pentathlon bronze at the 1948 Olympics and team gold at the 1949 World Championships. A career military man, Gärdin enlisted with the Swedish Army in 1944 and, after graduating from the Higher Artillery College, served with Smålands Artillery Regiment A6 until 1962. From 1962-65 he was with the Boden Artillery Regiment A8 and from 1965-69 served with the Svea Artillery Regiment A1.

Gärdin retired from the military as a Colonel after commanding the Smålands Artillery Regiment A6 from 1973-76. Gärdin was the personal assistant to King Gustav VI Adolf from 1965-69 and in 1969 was briefly the head of Royal Military College Karlberg.

Gärdin also acted as a modern pentathlon coach and, after retiring from the military, was Vice-President of the International Modern Pentathlon Union. From 1984-96, he was a board member of the Swedish Olympic Committee and at the same time was also secretary-general of the Swedish Combined Events Association. From 1989-2000 Gärdin was chairman of the Swedish Olympic Academy.