Sports Physician - Athlete 1909
1909
Swedish Olle Bexell (1909-2003) won nine of the twelve decathlons in which he participated. In 1936 he finished seventh at the Olympics in Berlin and in 1938 he won the European Championships in Paris. During his Medicine studies, he also became champion with the handball team of the University of Uppsala. After his sporting career, he specialized in paediatrics and settled in Uppsala.
1909
Dutchman Lou Dijkstra (1909-1964) competed in all skating events of the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The year before he finished eleventh in the final ranking of the World Championship. He was also a succesful cyclist, sailor and goalkeeper at football club ADO Den Haag. After his Medicine studies, he established himself as a general practitioner in Amstelveen, where he died in a car accident. He was the father of Sjouke Dijkstra (1942-), who won an Olympic title, three world titles, five European titles and six Dutch titles in figure skating.
1909
American gymnast Phil Erenberg (1909-1992) won the silver medal at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles in the event clubs (the only time it was contested in the Olympics). He graduated at the University of California and he worked for over 50 years in the same Los Angeles practice, both as an obstetrician and general practitioner.
1909
Tuppy Owen-Smith (1909-1990) was a South African cricketer who played 5 test games for South Africa and a rugby player who played for and captained the England rugby union team. He also won university titles in boxing and athletics. He qualified as a physician at St Mary's Hospital Medical School. After completing his degree he went back to South Africa and was a general practitioner, largely working from his home in Rondebosch.
1909
Fred Reid (1909-1991) was a British sprinter who competed in the 100m event at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. After graduating from Edinburgh University, he worked as a general practitioner in Johannesburg and in 1935 he became a South African champion in the 220 yards. He resumed competing in the 1970s, representing Rhodesia, and won the 100 m title in the 70–74 age group in a time of 13.80.
