At the beginning of his sporting career Sweden’s Hans Granfelt competed in track and field where he specialised in the discus throw. Granfelt participated in the discus at the 1920 Antwerpen Olympics but the distance of his throw was not recorded and he did not progress beyond the qualifying round.
By the early 1930s Granfelt had become an accomplished fencer and won multiple medals at the Swedish championships in the sabre. He won bronze as part of the épée team at the 1931 World Fencing Championships in Wein. Arguably his finest moments came at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, winning silver in the team épée tournament and being the flag bearer for Sweden at the Opening Ceremony. Granfelt also reached the semi-finals of the individual épée competition and was a referee in one of the sabre bouts in the team tournament. One year after the Olympics he won another team épée bronze at the World Fencing Championships, this time when the tournament was held in Paris.
Granfelt was part of a very successful sporting family. His brother Nils won gold in the team all-round gymnastics competition at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Another brother, Erik, also won a team gymnastics gold when he competed at the 1908 London Olympics. Like his brother Hans, Erik was Sweden’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony in London. Following World War II Hans’ nephew Nils Rydström competed in foil fencing at two Olympic Games.
Personal Best: DT – unknown.
Sweden