Lemming, Eric

Eric Lemming, in full Eric Otto Valdemar Lemming, Eric also spelled Erik, (born Feb. 22, 1880, Gothenburg, Swed.—died June 5, 1930, Gothenburg), Swedish track-and-field athlete who was the first great javelin thrower of the modern era. He won gold medals in the first two Olympic javelin contests.

Lemming was the finest of the Scandinavian athletes who dominated the javelin throw in the early 20th century. A very strong javelin thrower skilled in both the modern style (with the grip in the middle of the javelin shaft) and freestyle (generally using a rear grip), he set his first world record in 1899, hurling the javelin 49.32 metres (161 feet 9³/₄inches). He exceeded 50 metres (164 feet) with his next world record, in 1902. At the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, Lemming broke his own world record with a throw more than 8 metres (26 feet 3 inches) farther than his nearest opponent.

Lemming won a gold medal for the javelin throw at the 1908 Olympics in London. Four years later, performing in the Olympics at Stockholm, he became the first man to throw a javelin over 60 metres (196 feet 8¹/₂inches), winning another gold medal. Three days later Julius Saaristo became the first to throw a javelin 61 metres (200 feet), but he was aided by a strong wind and his throw was not recognized as a world record. In that same year, again in Stockholm, Lemming made his greatest throw, 62.32 metres (204 feet 5¹/₂inches).