Gustaf DYRSSEN

Gustaf Dyrssen was a four-time Olympian, competing in the modern pentathlon in 1920-24, winning gold and silver medals, and he competed in fencing in 1920/24/28/36, winning a team épée silver medal in 1936. Dyrssen was Swedish modern pentathlon champion in 1914 and 1922 and won that event at the 1914 Baltic Games. He was three-times Swedish épée fencing champion (1927, 1932, 1952), winning his last title at age 60. He also won the military patrol event at the 1922 Nordic Games.

From a military family, Dyrssen studied at the Royal Military Academy, started his career as a lieutenant in artillery, and ended it as a brigadier-general. In sports administration he was Vice-President of the Organizing Committee for the 1956 Equestrian Olympic Games in Stockholm, President of the Swedish Fencing Federation from 1936-40, and most significantly, President of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne from 1948-60. Dyrsssen was co-opted onto the IOC in July 1952 and served until his resignation in May 1970.