Bertil von Wachenfeldt

Swedish track athlete Bertil von Wachenfeldt was an excellent 400 metres runner who won multiple medals at the national and European championships. In 1928 Wachenfeldt was part of the Swedish quartet that just missed out on a medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics when they finished fourth in the 4 x 400 metres relay. His first success at the national championships came in 1933 with bronze in the 400 metres. He went one better the following year, winning silver, before winning his first national title in the event in 1935. Wachenfeldt then won silver and bronze in 1936 and 1937, respectively, before winning his second Swedish title in the 400 metres in 1938.

In 1934 Wachenfeldt won bronze in both the 400 metres and the 4 x 400 metres at the European Athletics Championships in Torino. Four years later he won another relay bronze at the European Championships in Paris. In between his two appearances at the European Championships he ran in the 400 metres and the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In his individual race Wachenfeldt reached the quarter-finals, in addition to finishing fifth in the final of the relay. From 1934 to 1943 he was also the Swedish record holder in the 400 metres.

Personal Best: 400 – 47.8 (1937).