Helge Løvland
A Norwegian soldier-athlete who mastered ten different events to become the first official Olympic decathlon champion in 1920.
1890–1984 (age 94)·Norwegian decathlete·Birthday: May 11·The Lost Generation
Biography
Helge Løvland embodied the ideal of the all-around athlete. A military officer by profession, he applied discipline and rigorous analysis to the grueling test of the decathlon. His gold medal victory at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920 was historic—it was the first time the modern decathlon, as we know it, was contested at the Games. Løvland didn't dominate every event, but his consistency across two days of running, jumping, and throwing was unmatched. Beyond his own performance, he became a pillar of Norwegian sports administration, helping to shape athletic policy and serving as a team leader for later Olympic squads, ensuring his impact lasted long after his final throw or jump.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Helge was born in 1890, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Helge Was Born
The biggest hits of 1890
Helge's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1890Born
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Started school
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1903Became a teenager
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Could drive
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could vote
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 21
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1920Turned 30
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1930Turned 40
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 50
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 60
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 70
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 80
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1984Died at 94
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
Key Achievements
- Won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp.
- Was the first recipient of the Egebergs Ærespris in 1919, Norway's premier award for excellence in multiple sports.
- Served as the Norwegian team leader at multiple subsequent Olympic Games.
Did You Know?
He won his Olympic gold despite falling during the 110-meter hurdles event.
He was also a skilled ski jumper and footballer in his youth.
He authored a book on the decathlon, sharing his training methods and strategies.
He held a senior position in the Norwegian Sports Confederation for many years.
“Victory is decided by the weakest of the ten events.”
