Gordon Sigurjonson

Guðmundur "Gordon" Sigurjónsson Hofdal (15 April 1883 – 14 January 1967) was an Icelandic athlete and trainer. A well known wrestler in his home country, he was part of a group of Icelanders that showcased Glíma at the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was later a coach for the Canadian Winnipeg Falcons that won the first ever gold medal in Ice hockey at the 1920 Summer Olympics.

Early life Guðmundur was born in Litluströnd at Mývatn on 15 April 1883 to Friðfinna Davíðsdóttir and Sigurjón Guðmundsson. He was the second youngest of 10 children. He was one of seven Icelanders who showcased Glíma at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Move to Canada After studying sports training and therapy in England, Guðmundur moved to Winnipeg in Canada in 1914 where he learned Greco-Roman wrestling and Ice hockey. He served in the Canadian military from 1916 to 1919, becoming a sergeant in the 27th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. In 1920, he was the trainer of the Winnipeg Falcons when it won the gold medal in ice hockey for Canada at the 1920 Summer Olympics. Guðmundur was acquitted of ill treatment of patients but was sentenced to eight months in prison for having sexual relations with another man. He served three months of the sentence before being set free. He was the only person to have served a prison sentence for violating the Icelandic sodomy law.

In 1930, Guðmundur started working in the sports movement again. In 1942 he started training Glíma at Íþróttafélag Reykjavíkur and in 1948, he was part of the training staff that followed the Icelandic Olympic athletes that competed at the 1948 summer Olympics.

Death Guðmundur died on 14 January 1967, at the age of 83. He was buried 5 months later, on 14 June, at his family plot close to Mývatn.