Arne Halse

Arne Halse was born in Kristiansund as the son of a ship captain. The family moved to Trondheim in 1901, where his father, Dyre Halse, started a firm in which he imported and sold coal and coke. The firm was a success, and his father became one of the richest men in Trondheim. In 1921 he donated a statue of the founder of the city of Trondheim, the Viking king Olav Tryggvason. The statue is placed on the market place in the city, still a well-known landmark in Trondheim.

Early on Arne Halse showed great talent in the throwing events. In 1905, at age 17 as a member of Trondhjems IF, he became Norwegian Champion in javelin and was second in the shot put. From 1905-09 he was national champion four times in the javelin and three times in shot put.

At the 1906 Intercalated Games Halse placed seventh in the javelin while still a teenager. In 1908 he moved to Kristiania to study economy, and became a member of IK Tjalve. In May he showed excellent form, throwing the javelin 54.40 m, 25 cm better than the famous Swede Eric Lemming’s best result at the time.

At London in 1908 Halse won Norway’s first Olympic medals in athletics, with silver in the javelin and bronze in the freesyle javelin, both events won comfortably by Lemming. After the Olympics, Halse concentrated on his studies, but went to his hometown for the National Championships, winning both the shot put and the javelin.

In 1909 Halse moved home to Trondheim to work in his father’s company, but in 1911 he came back with a new club at Brage’s international competition in July, winning the shot put and finishing second in his favorite event, javelin, behind the Swede Hilding Sonne. In 1912 he went to Kristiania in late June to participate in the third and latest selection competition for the Stockholm Olympics. He was in good shape and won the both hands javelin, setting a new national record, and defeating the 1911 national champion, Daniel Johansen, by almost 10 metres. In Stockholm Halse placed seventh in the javelin throw, and three days later concluded his athletic career by finishing fifth in the both hands javelin event, ending his career by setting an all-time personal best of 55.05 with his best-hand throw.

Halse retired from athletics at age 24. He married, and from 1913-18 became the father of four children, one boy and three girls. He continued to work for his father’s firm. During the 1920s his father retired, and Arne became the manager, but he was still interested in sport. When Egil Danielsen won the javelin at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics by setting a world record, Halse was very excited, and sent congratulatory telegrams to Danielsen.

Personal Bests: SP – 13.38 (1908); JT – 55.40 (1912).