Elias Katz
Elias Katz (June 22, 1901 – December 24, 1947) was a Finnish track and field athlete, who competed mainly in the 3000 metres steeplechase.
 Katz (right) behind Paavo Nurmi and Oskari Rissanen in 1920 | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s athletics | ||
Representing  | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 1924 Paris | 3000 metre team |
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 1924 Paris | 3000 metre steeplechase |
Born in Turku, Katz was Jewish.[1] He competed for Finland in the 1924 Summer Olympics held in Paris, France in the 3000 metre steeple chase where he won the silver medal. He then joined with two of the greatest distance runners Paavo Nurmi and Ville Ritola to win the gold medal in the 3000m team race as well.
He joined the Bar Kochba Jewish sports club in Berlin in 1924. In 1933 Katz immigrated to Palestine, where he was coach of the Palestinian track team for the 1948 Maccabi Games. In December 1947 while filming at a British army camp during the Civil War in Mandatory Palestine, he was killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists.[2]
References
- Paul Taylor (2004). Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and Politics : with a Complete Review of Jewish Olympic Medallists. Sussex Academic Press. pp. 233–. ISBN 978-1-903900-87-1.
- Lipman, Steve (August 6, 2004). "The Forgotten Olympians". Jewish Week. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
Further reading
- Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Track & Field (Men): 3000-Meter Steeplechase". In The Complete Book of the Olympics - 2008 Edition. London: Aurum Press, Limited. pp. 168–9.