Eric Backman
{{Short description|Swedish long-distance runner (1896–1965)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|name=
|nickname=
|image=Eric Backman.jpg
| image_size =
|caption=
|birth_date= 18 May 1896
|birth_place=Acklinga, Sweden
| death_date = 29 June 1965 (aged 69)
| death_place = Skövde, Sweden
| height = {{convert|1.72|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|64|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
|sport=Athletics
|event=3,000–10,000 m
|club= IFK Tidaholm
|pb=5000 m – 14:51.0 (1919)
10,000 m – 31:02.2 (1921)
|alma_mater=
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry | {{SWE}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}
{{MedalSilver| 1920 Antwerp| Individual cross country}}
{{MedalBronze| 1920 Antwerp| Cross country team}}
{{MedalBronze| 1920 Antwerp| 3000 metre team}}
{{MedalBronze| 1920 Antwerp| 5000 metres}}
}}
Eric Natanael Backman (18 May 1896 – 29 June 1965) was a Swedish long distance runner who had his best achievements at the 1920 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/76057 |title=Eric Backman |work=Olympedia |access-date=11 July 2021}}
Career
Backman won the British AAA Championships 4 miles title at the 1919 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19190707/133/0007 |title=AAA Championships |work=Daily Herald |date=7 July 1919 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=21 November 2024 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19190707/010/0010 |title=Amateur Champions |work=Daily Record |date=7 July 1919 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=21 November 2024 }}{{cite web|url=https://nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=21 November 2024 }}
The following year at the 1920 Olympic Games, Backman won the silver medal in the 8,000 m cross-country race, 2.6 seconds behind the legendary Paavo Nurmi. This second place helped the Swedish cross-country team to win the bronze medal in the team event behind Finland and Great Britain, as two other team members finished 10th and 11th. This scenario repeated in the 3,000 m event – Backman finished second and other Swedes 10th and 12th; this time Backman did not receive an individual medal, but he again pulled up the Swedish team to the third place. In the 5,000 metres Backman finished third, again behind Paavo Nurmi.
Backman finished second behind Walter Monk in the 4 miles event at the British 1921 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001542/19210702/056/0003 |title=Athletics |work=Northern Whig |date=2 July 1921 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=30 November 2024 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19210704/131/0006 |title=Where Britain leads |work=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=4 July 1921 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=30 November 2024 }}
Backman was a heavy smoker and enjoyed alcohol, yet he was an eight-time Swedish champion in the 5,000 m and 10,000 m in 1918–23, and held Swedish records over 5,000 m, 10,000 m, 5 miles and one-hour run. After 1943 he worked in the Volvo factory in Skövde.
References
{{Reflist|refs=
[http://sok.se/idrottare/idrottare/e/eric-backman.html Eric Backman]. Swedish Olympic Committee
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Backman, Erik}}
Category:People from Tidaholm Municipality
Category:Swedish male long-distance runners
Category:Olympic silver medalists for Sweden
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Sweden
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic athletes for Sweden
Category:Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:Olympic cross country runners
Category:Athletes from Västra Götaland County
{{Sweden-athletics-bio-stub}}