Individual, Men

At the Winter Olympics in St. Moritz a “Winter Pentathlon” demonstration sport had been contested, consisting of downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, shooting, fencing, and a horse steeplechase. Finishing second in that competition was Sweden’s Wille Grut. Grut had been Swedish champion in the modern pentathlon in 1938-40, 1944, and 1948, and won several other Swedish national titles in swimming, and water polo. He would make his only Olympic appearances in 1948, but his efforts in London would result in the most dominant victory ever in Olympic modern pentathlon.

Grut began by winning the cross-country steeplechase ride at Tweseldown Racecourse aboard Minstrel Boy, owned by Mr. and Mrs. W. Proudfoot of Manor Farm, Frimley, and then tied for first in épée fencing. After two phases he had only two points, but America’s George Moore was still close with only five points. Grut then finished fifth in shooting, and when Moore placed 21st with the pistol, the race for the gold medal was over. Grut also won the swimming, thus winning three of the five phases of the modern pentathlon, and he led Moore 8-43 going into the run. He placed eighth in the cross-country run to finish with only 16 points, well ahead of Moore, who placed fourth in cross-country and won the silver medal with 47 points. Grut’s teammate, Gösta Gårdin, placed third with 49 points. Grut’s father, Torben, had been the architect of the Stockholm Olympic Stadium used for the 1912 Olympics.