Brita Lovén

Brita Irene Elisabet Lovén with married name Westerholm (2 July 1912 - 12 April 1981) was a Swedish track and field athlete specialized in the 800 metres.[1] She won the bronze medal at the 1930 Women's World Games in the 800 metres event.

Brita Lovén
Personal information
Full nameBrita Irene Elisabet Lovén
NationalitySwedish
Born2 July 1912
Näsums församling, Sweden
Died12 April 1981(1981-04-12) (aged 68)
Oscar Parish, Sweden
Sport
SportTrack and field athletics
Event(s)800 metres
ClubLinköpings AIK

Biography

Lovén was born in 1912 in Näsums församling as a daughter of seminary teacher Sam Lovén and his wife Zidonia Bengtsson. She had six sisters, of wich Idun Lovén was an artist. The family later moved to Linköping. Lovén became interested in sports early on and was a good skier as a child. Later she started athletics where she mainly competed in middle distance running and became a member of Linköpings AIK.[2][3] She competed for Linköpings AIK during her whole career.

Lovén participated at several Swedish athletics championships.[3] She won the silver medal in the 800 metres in 1930 in Norrköping. She became a member of the national team at the 1930 Women's World Games in Prague. In the 800 metres event she won her semifinal in a time of 2:27.2, ahead of British Ruth Christmas and Polish Gertruda Kilosówna.[4][5][6] In the final she won the bronze medal in a time of 2:24.8, behind British Gladys Lunn and German Marie Dollinger.[7][8]

Later she switched to play bandy and in the 1930s she retired completely from cometitive sports.[3]

Lovén died on 12 April 1981. She is buried at Matthew's cemetery in Norrköping.[9]

References

  1. Sveriges dödbok 1860–2017
  2. Track and Field Statistics Brinkster.net
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Glimtar från Hejdegården, page 71, 87, 88 Tannefors Hembygdsförening 2012
  4. "De derde wereldspelen te Praag". Het Vaderland (in Nederlands). 8 September 1930. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  5. "De derde vrouwenwereldspelen te Praag". De Amstelbode (in Nederlands). 8 September 1930. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  6. "De derde vrouwenwereldspelen te Praag". De Amstelbode (in Nederlands). 8 September 1930. Retrieved 29 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  7. "Mej. Schuurman tweemaal tweede te Praag". Eindhovensch dagblad (in Nederlands). 9 September 1930. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  8. "De derde wereldspelen voor vrouwen". Het Vaderland (in Nederlands). 9 September 1930. Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via Delpher.
  9. SvenskaGravar