HAGG, GUNDER

born Dec. 31, 1918, Srbygden, Sweden Swedish middle-distance runner who broke a total of 15 world records during his career. He set 10 of them within a three-month period in 1942. On July 1, 1942, Hgg set a world record for the mile run of 4 min 6.2 s, which he again broke on September 4 with a time of 4 min 4.6 s. On July 3 he set a world record for the two-mile run of 8 min 47.8 s. On July 17 he set a world record for the 1,500-metre race of 3 min 45.8 s; and on July 21 he set a world record for the 2,000-metre race of 5 min 16.4 s, which he broke on August 23 with a time of 5 min 11.8 s (unbroken until 1948). On August 28 he set a world record for the 3,000-metre race of 8 min 1.2 s (unbroken until 1949). On September 11 he set a world record for the three-mile run of 13 min 35.4 s, which he broke on September 20 with a time of 13 min 32.4 s (unbroken until 1954). On that date as well, he set a record for the 5,000-metre race of 13 min 58.2 s (unbroken until 1954). Hgg gained attention as a runner in 1938, when he was second in the 3,000-metre steeplechase in the Swedish national meet. In 1943, on a tour of the United States, he was undefeated in eight races. He was an early proponent of Fartlek, a system of endurance training that alternates strenuous running with periods of easygoing activity.