Bengt Sjöstedt

Bengt Olof Albert "Benkku" Sjöstedt (2 November 1906 – 16 July 1981) was a Finnish hurdler. He equalled the world record for 110 m hurdles in 1931 and competed at the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics.

Career

Sjöstedt was Finland's first international-level 110 m hurdler. He had a habit of toppling one or two hurdles in most races, which cost him several Finnish records; the rules at the time stated a time was invalid for record purposes if any hurdles were knocked down, although disqualification from the race itself wouldn't result unless three or more hurdles were knocked down. His 1931 time of 14.4 remained the world record until 1934 and the Finnish national record until 1967, when Matti Harri and Antti Lanamäki both ran 14.3. Sjöstedt is the only Finn to have held a world record in a hurdling event.