The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-01
MAY SPRING
A: SURPRISE
Swedish Athletes Must Not
be Overlooked in the
Olympiad.

The question is asked, WHY is il
that Sweden is generally. though prob
ably not intentionally. overlooked
when the mooted question of which
country will carry off the premier hon
ors in the Olympic games is pronounc-
ed" True, the Swedish athletes have
not beer a power in the athletic field
The material may have been there
but the force to bring the ability to the
surface was lacking.
Matters have changed. Ernest w.
Hjertberg, one of the greatest athletic
coarhers produced in this country-he
is of Swedish action-has taken
hold of the athletes of his home coun-
try and a new era in Swedish athlet-
les was Immediately created. Hjert-
berg is gifted with that perception OF
passing judgment on an athlete once
he has seen the performer in action.
Sweden May Surprise.
Sweden has always. had a few good
athletes. but they have never ranged
with o of other countries. A sur
prise d~isagreeable to the other powers
is promised when the Swedish athletes
take the field in the Olympic games
next June. Among the men who will
f1aunt Sweden's emblem before the
breezes will he several ultimate vic
toIS III III lidSSlN events. 11leTlDeTS
has nodded together a team of more
than average strength. and several up
sets are in store for athletic enthus-
iasm.
Hjerthcrg has been hampered in his
work of ~instructins his charges by not
having a model cinder path. Then,
again. there are no large halls in
Sweden in which the athletes could so
through their PAGES during the cold
spell. Running on the roads there is
ont of the question. for there are many
crags, boulders and bitches to bother
the athletes.
Hjertberg, however. did not permit
these obstacles to thwart his progress
in conditioning the team. He has al
waEs been of an inventive turn of
mind when it came to bettering CON
ditions for his athletes. Hjertberc is
employed by tho Swedish Government
and there is nothing he asks that the
officials would not grant him. He
sized up the situation and asked that
q board rack be constructed
Erect New oard Track.
This was promptly done and a 200
meter tract was put into operation a
few days later. Hjertberg had his ath-
letes work on this track every day.
The %sprinters. distance and hurdlers
and weight and discus tossers got in
all their preparatory work on this cir
cult. n as a result every n of then
is in the best possible condition and
ready to put forth his best efforts a,
a moments notice.
Hjertberg is one of tho few coaches
who instruct their men by practical
demonstration.
Inc rrosS-countrN men nave to ovcr.
come many distractions to- make an,
progress. They have to clear u goo(
deal of shruhbery and are forced II
run through lanes. banked on II side
by huge boulders, and on the other h,
hedges.
The cold snap and the snow haye
failed to stop the men proficient in
field events from performing their
~favorite stunts. Ernie Nilsson is the
champion weight man of Sweden.
Nilsson is without a peer in his coun.
try in the shotput and discuss throw,
and besides is a fine all-around ath-
lete.
Tornross Marathon Champion.
h Swedish Marathon champion is
O.. TornroSs. The crack possesses ev-
cry qualification that goes to make Il
champion long distance runner. His
stamina and %sprinting abilities have
been tested often in races abroad. He
got in his preparatory ticks on Hjert.
berg's board track.
Erik Lemming is the worlds record
holder for throwing the iavelin. bes,
hand. Lemminc Won first prize i'm this
event at the London olympiad i'm 1905
and promises to again larry off the
honors at the coming fixture.