Henry Petersen

Henry Petersen ( born October 1, 1900 in ring ( Horsens ); † September 24, 1949 in Copenhagen) was a Danish athlete, athletics and gymnastics operation. His special discipline was the pole vault. He started for Københavns Idræts Forening.

Services nationally

Petersen won the Athlete of nine state championships:

In addition, from 1921 to 1927 five championships in gymnastics.

Services internationally

Petersen participated in two Olympic Games: 1920 in Antwerp and Paris in 1924. In Antwerp was called the Olympic champion, Frank Foss, who set up with a new world record 4.09 m up 39 (!) Inches higher than jumped Henry Petersen, who won the silver medal with 3.70m and an American triple triumph prevented. The third-place finisher, Edwin Myers, had indeed skipped 3.75 m in the play-off against Edward Knourek, in regular competition but must fit at 3.60 m, so that for him there was only the bronze medal.

Four years later, in Paris, however, Petersen was the Unlucky. Although he jumped 20 inches higher than in Antwerp, but ranged 3.90m for fourth place behind the American James Brooker, who also came over 3.90 m. Lee Barnes and Glenn Graham, each with 3.95 m completed the triple success for the United States.

Records and best performances

Petersen eight times improved the Danish pole vault record of 3.69 m ( 1919) to 4.03 m ( 1925); this performance was nine years unsurpassed. In addition, he has recorded five finishes among the top ten in the world rankings:

All these achievements he achieved in Copenhagen. Yet in 1927, where he managed a jump over 3.90 meters, which meant but only number 23.

As personal bests are given for him: