Niels Hansen Ditlev LARSEN

In 1916, Niels Ditlev Larsen married Ellen, the daughter of Olympian Hans Christian Schultz. In 1910 Larsen began work as a gunsmith in Schultz’ arms factory, which existed as Schultz & Larsen until 1994. Larsen started shooting at Horsens Skyttekreds as a boy. At age 22, he participated in his first international competition in Roma, and later competed at the World Championships in 1929-1931, 1935, 1937 and 1939, but he never won a world medal.

Larsen was a three-time Danish champion – 1919 and 1942 with the 50 m free rifle and in 1932 in free pistol. Between 1913 and 1927 he won eight Danish Challenge Trophies for rifle shooting, usually termed the Margrethe Chain. With one gold, one silver and three bronze medals, Larsen was the most successful Danish shooter at the 1912-24 Olympics. His son Uffe Schultz Larsen competed in shooting in four Olympics from 1948-60.