Linda Haglund facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linda Haglund
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Linda Haglund at Globen in Stockholm, 2013.
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| Born | 15 June 1956 Enskede, Sweden
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| Died | 21 November 2015 (aged 59) Stockholm, Sweden
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| Occupation | Author, athlete |
| Spouse(s) | Houston McTear (1957–2015; his death); 3 children |
Linda Haglund (born June 15, 1956 – died November 21, 2015) was a famous Swedish sprinter who competed in the Olympic Games. She was known for her speed and was one of Sweden's top athletes in track and field.
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Running Career Highlights
Linda Haglund joined a track and field club called Hanvikens SK when she was 13 years old. She quickly showed how talented she was. In her very first competition, she ran 100 meters in just 12.7 seconds, even though she was barefoot!
Her amazing talent was noticed internationally at the European Championships in 1971, held in Helsinki, Finland. Linda was only 15 years old at the time, making her the youngest athlete at the event.
One year later, Linda was chosen for the Swedish Olympic team for the 1972 Munich Games. She also competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Her best Olympic performance was in Moscow, where she finished fourth in the 100-meter final.
Linda also took part in the World Cups in 1979 (Montreal) and 1981 (Rome). She won five medals at European Championships: a gold in 1976, and silver medals in 1978 (twice), 1980, and 1981.
For many years, Linda was the captain of the Swedish women's track and field team. She still holds Swedish records for:
- 100 meters: 11.16 seconds (set in 1980)
- 200 meters: 22.82 seconds (set in 1978)
- 60 meters: 7.13 seconds (set in 1978)
Linda was one of the few sprinters who managed to beat the famous American runner Evelyn Ashford. In a 1981 race in Berlin, Linda ran 11.06 seconds (with some wind help), beating Jarmila Kratochvílová (11.18) and Evelyn Ashford (11.25). During her career, she was ranked among the top sprinters in the world, reaching 3rd place in 1978.
End of Running Career
Linda Haglund's running career ended suddenly in 1981. This happened after a drug test showed a positive result. Even though a Swedish group found her innocent, an international sports tribunal later made a different decision. After this, Linda decided to retire from running.
Her Legacy in Sports
Linda Haglund was a member of the Swedish Sports Academy, which includes 100 top Swedish athletes from 1899 to 1999. In 1981, she received the Victoria Scholarship, a special award for Swedish athletes. She was also part of the "Legends of 1956," a group of outstanding Swedish athletes born in the same year, including Björn Borg, Ingemar Stenmark, Thomas Wassberg, and Frank Andersson.
Life After Running
After her running career, Linda Haglund became an artist. She was inspired by the Russian artist Marc Chagall. She painted and designed, and her work was shown in several exhibitions.
Linda also wrote a book about health and wellness called Lindas må bra bok (Linda's feel good book). It was published in 2007. She was related to the Danish singer and actor Otto Brandenburg.
Linda was married to American sprinter Houston McTear. They were married from the 1980s until his death in November 2015.
Her Passing
Linda Haglund passed away on November 21, 2015, at the age of 59. She died from cancer and a lung issue. Her health problems were discovered only six days before her death. Sadly, she died just three weeks after her husband, who also passed away from cancer.
See also
- List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences
