Art Longsjo
Arthur "Art" Matthew Longsjo Jr. (October 23, 1931 – September 16, 1958) was an American Olympian speed skater and cyclist. He was the first American to compete in the Summer and Winter Olympics in the same year.
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Fitchburg, Massachusetts, U.S. | October 23, 1931
Died | September 16, 1958 26) Burlington, Vermont, U.S. | (aged
Sport | |
Country | |
Sport | Speed skating |
Achievements and titles | |
Olympic finals | 1956 Winter Olympics 1956 Summer Olympics |
Biography
Longsjo was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.[1] In 1953, he won the 1 mile, 3 mile, and 25 mile races at the Massachusetts State Cycling Championships after riding his bicycle 1.5 hours to the race (from Fitchburg to Westborough, Massachusetts). In 1954, he won the Quebec-Montreal Road Race and was named the Canadian Cyclist of the Year.[2] He won the race again in 1956.
Longsjo won the 5,000 m speed skating event at the United States national championships to make the Olympic team at the Winter Olympics. In 1956, he competed in both the Winter Olympics as a speed skater and the Summer Olympics as a cyclist. Due to a knee injury before the games, he placed outside the medal stand. Longsjo was the first American to compete in both the Winter and Summer Olympics in the same year.[3][4]
In 1958 Longsjo won three races, the Tour of Somerville,[5] the Tour du St. Laurent stage race and the Quebec-Montreal Road Race.[6]
Longsjo died in 1958 following a car accident in Burlington, Vermont. He had been returning from the Quebec-Montreal Road Race.[7]
Awards and honors
In 1960 the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic was held in Fitchburg in memory of Longsjo. The race is a road bicycle racing stage race and is still held annually.[8][9]
Longsjo was inducted into the National Speedskating Hall of Fame in 1970,[10] and the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1988.[11]
References
- "SALUTE TO WOMEN: Erika Lawler". Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- "Art Longsjo, Jr". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- Fitchburg Historical Society (2014). Legendary Locals of Fitchburg (illustrated ed.). Arcadia Publishing. p. 96. ISBN 1467101109. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- Harrison, Dann (August 27, 2009). "Peddling past the competition; Danvers' Wilochoski parlays big cycling win into professional status". The Salem News. Karen Andreas. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- "Fitchburg Longsjo Classic registration on a roll". Central Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- "OLYMPIANS". News Telegram.com. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- "Longsjo Classic organizers: Let's make it 3 day". Sentinel Enterprise. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- "Cycling: Longsjo Classic seeks site for a Saturday event". telegram.com. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- "Arthur Longsjo: A two-sport athlete for the ages". Active. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- "Arthur M. Longsjo". News Telegram.com. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
- "Art Longsjo". US Bicycling Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013.