Johan Harmenberg

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Johan Harmenberg

| image = RIAN archive 556150 Fencer Johan Harmenberg.jpg

| birth_name =

| fullname = Johan Georg Harmenberg Åkerman

| nickname =

| nationality =

| residence =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|9|8|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Stockholm, Sweden

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 179 cm

| weight = 71 kg

| website =

| country = Sweden

| sport = Fencing

| event = épée

| collegeteam = MIT Engineers

| club = Föreningen för Fäktkonstens Främjande

| team =

| turnedpro =

| coach =

| retired =

| worlds = 1977 World Championship titles in Individual Épée and Team Épée

| regionals =

| nationals = 12 Swedish national championships, five silver medals, and six bronze medals

| olympics = 1980 Moscow Olympic Games gold medal in Individual Épée

| highestranking =

| pb =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{SWE}} }}

| show-medals = yes

}}

Johan Georg Harmenberg Åkerman (born 8 September 1954) is a Swedish Olympic and world champion épée fencer.[https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/23416 "Johan Harmenberg,"] Olympedia.

Early and personal life

Harmenberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and is Jewish.[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-olympic-medalists-1896-present "Jewish Olympic Medalists (1896-Present),"] Jewish Virtual Library.Fred Skolnik, Michael Berenbaum (2007). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Encyclopaedia_Judaica_Nat_Per/JD0OAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Johan+Harmenberg+%22jewish%22&dq=Johan+Harmenberg+%22jewish%22&printsec=frontcover Encyclopaedia Judaica: Nat-Per], Macmillan Reference USA, p. 415.Bob Wechsler (2008). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Day_by_Day_in_Jewish_Sports_History/aOTWUl-9LQoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Johan+Harmenberg&pg=PA252&printsec=frontcover Day by day in Jewish sports history], p. 252, KTAV Publishing House. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

His son Karl Harmenberg fenced épée for Harvard University, and as a junior in 2008-09 won the gold medal at the NCAA Regionals and was selected to All-Ivy League second team.{{Cite web |url=https://www.gocrimson.com/sports/mfencing/2008-09/bios/harmenberg_karl?view=bio |access-date=2018-05-20 |archive-date=2018-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520124530/https://www.gocrimson.com/sports/mfencing/2008-09/bios/harmenberg_karl?view=bio|title=Karl Harmenberg|work=Go Crimson |url-status=dead }}

University

He completed two years of study at MIT in 1975, during which time he went by the name Johan Akerman.[https://www.nytimes.com/1974/03/10/archives/nyu-wins-title-againin-fencing-met-college-hockey.html "N.Y.U. Wins Title Again In Fencing,"] The New York Times, March 10, 1974. He left MIT two years early (he would have graduated in 1977) and returned to Sweden, having been drafted by the Swedish Army in the summer of 1974.Steven M. Heller (December 5, 1974). [https://api.thecrimson.com/article/1974/12/5/harvard-fencers-thrash-feeble-mit-squad/ "Harvard Fencers Thrash Feeble MIT Squad, 18-9, For First Win of Season,"] The Harvard Crimson.Bryan Caplan (2019). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Case_against_Education/3gacDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Johan+Harmenberg&pg=PT119&printsec=frontcover The Case Against Education; Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money], Princeton University Press.{{cite web|url=http://mitathletics.com/information/excellence/VarsityClub_Award|title=The Harvard Crimson|access-date=September 29, 2016|archive-date=14 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914082441/http://mitathletics.com/information/excellence/VarsityClub_Award|url-status=dead}}Joshua D. Angrist, Jörn-Steffen Pischke (2014). [https://books.google.com/books?id=dEh-BAAAQBAJ&dq=Johan+Harmenberg&pg=PA214 Mastering 'Metrics: The Path from Cause to Effect.]

He subsequently studied at Stockholm University. He holds an MD and a PhD in virology from Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.[https://www.beactica.com/johan-harmenberg-md-phd-associate-prof-ny "Prof. Johan Harmenberg M.D. Ph.D., Medical Advisor,"] Beactica.

Fencing career

He fenced for the club Föreningen för Fäktkonstens Främjande in Sweden. He was a Swedish National Junior champion. He has won eight total epee gold medals in both individual and team competitions at Olympic, World Championships, and World Cup tournaments. He also won 12 Swedish national championships, as well as five silver medals and six bronze medals at Swedish national championships.[https://fencing.ophardt.online/sv/biography/athlete/313534 "Johan Harmenberg Åkerman,"] Ophardt.

=University=

Åkerman fenced foil for the MIT fencing team, the MIT Engineers. He won the 1974 Intercollegiate Fencing Association foil championship, and won the bronze medal in the 1974 NCAA Fencing Foil Championship with a record of 18-5.[http://museumofamericanfencing.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/rptIndividualByEvent-Fencer-1.pdf "NCAA Fencing Championships Individual Results by Event/Fencer (1941‐2019),"] Museum of American Fencing.Peter Landry (March 9, 1974). [https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1974/3/9/fencers-disappoint-in-if-as-crimson/ "Fencers Disappoint in IF As; Crimson Fades in Foil, Epee,"] Harvard Crimson. It was MIT's first weapon title at the competition in 43 years. Åkerman was awarded MIT's 1974 Varsity Club Award, as the school's "Outstanding Freshmen Athlete of the Year."[https://mitathletics.com/sports/2021/4/20/information-excellence-VarsityClub-Award.aspx "The Varsity Club Award,"] MIT Athletics.

=World Championships=

He won the 1977 World Championship titles in Individual Épée and Team Épée in Buenos Aires, Argentina.{{cite web|url=http://sports123.com/fen/mw-ep.html |title=Fencing World Championships|publisher=sports123.com |access-date=June 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091012040805/http://sports123.com/fen/mw-ep.html |archive-date=October 12, 2009 }}[https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/5a57-2935274/World_Championship_All_Medalists_-_individual_events_by_date.pdf "Fencing World Championship Individual Medalists by Year,"] July 30, 2023. He also won a bronze medal in Team Épée at the 1979 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany.

=World Cups=

Harmenberg captured three Individual Épée World Cup Championships within four years: 1977 (Bern), 1979 (Heidenheim), and 1980 (Heidenheim). He also won team titles at the 1977 and 1980 World Cups.

=Olympics=

At the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, Harmenberg won a gold medal in the Individual Épée.{{cite web|url=http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HARMEJOH01 |title=Olympics Statistics: Johan Harmenberg |access-date=2011-04-26 |work=databaseolympics.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928025312/http://databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HARMEJOH01 |archive-date=2011-09-28 }}{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/johan-harmenberg-1.html |title=Johan Harmenberg |access-date=2011-04-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317004549/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/johan-harmenberg-1.html |archive-date=2011-03-17}} In three of the final matches he won by only one touch.{{cite web |url=https://www.sok.se/inenglish/moscow1980.4.18ea16851076df63622800011020.html |title= Moscow 1980 - Sveriges Olympiska Kommitté|website=Sveriges Olympiska Kommitté |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427014419/http://www.sok.se/inenglish/moscow1980.4.18ea16851076df63622800011020.html |archive-date=2015-04-27}} He is the only Swede to have won an individual gold medal in fencing.[http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:o3pOLk1WUFEJ:www.fff-faktning.se/MainFillolUK.htm+Johan+Harmenberg&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=12&gl=us] Harmenberg was a member of the Swedish épée team as well; the team placed 5th in the team épée competition.

Hall of Fame

Harmenberg, who is Jewish, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishsports.net/biopages/JohanHarmenberg|url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926231359/http://www.jewishsports.net/biopages/JohanHarmenberg.htm|title=JOHAN HARMENBERG| work=International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame |archive-date=September 26, 2007 }}

Biotech career

Harmenberg is an Associate Professor (Docent) of Virology at Karolinska Institute.[https://firstwordpharma.com/story/2414405 "Medivir’s Nomination Committee proposes new Board of Directors ahead of 2015 AGM,"] FirstWord Pharma, February 18, 2015.

He became a biotech executive and researcher. He has been the Global Medical Director for Pharmacia Upjohn (1995-97), Vice President of Pharmaceutical Development for Medivir AB (1997-2006), Chief Medical Officer at Algeta AB (2006-07), Chief Executive Officer at Axelar AB (2007-15) and Akinion AB (2009-15), and Chief Medical Officer of Oncopeptides AB until he reached their retirement age (2012-21).[https://www.thepharmaletter.com/biotechnology/johan-harmenberg-to-be-replaced-by-klaas-bakker-as-oncopeptides-cmo "Johan Harmenberg to be replaced by Klaas Bakker as Oncopeptides CMO,"] The Pharma Letter, August 20, 2019.{{cite web |url=http://www.axelar.se/about-axelar/team/ |title=Axelar: The Team |publisher=Axelar.se |access-date=March 21, 2014}}{{cite journal |author=Nature Biotechnology |url=http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v24/n9/full/nbt0906-1176.html |title=Nature Biotechnology Journal |journal=Nature Biotechnology |publisher=Nature.com |date=September 1, 2006 |volume=24 |issue=9 |pages=1176 |doi=10.1038/nbt0906-1176 |access-date=June 27, 2010|url-access=subscription }}{{cite press release |url=http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2005/12/09/337249/90994/en/RP-606-Rights-Revert-to-Medivir.html |title=RP-606 Rights Revert to Medivir |publisher=GlobeNewswire |date=December 9, 2005 |access-date=June 27, 2010}}[https://www.beactica.com/johan-harmenberg-md-phd-associate-prof-ny / "Prof. Johan Harmenberg M.D. Ph.D.; Medical Advisor,"] Beactica Therapeutics.[https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=8582360&privcapId=12930666 "Johan Harmenberg M.D., Ph.D.: Executive Profile & Biography,"] Bloomberg. In September 2019, Harmenberg joined Beactica Therapeutics, a Swedish drug discovery company, as a clinical advisor.{{Cite web|last=AB|first=Beactica|title=Beactica Therapeutics Appoints Several High-profile People to Strengthen its Strategic Focus on Drug Discovery|url=https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/beactica-therapeutics-appoints-several-high-profile-people-to-strengthen-its-strategic-focus-on-drug-discovery-827378942.html|access-date=2021-02-19|website=PR Newswire|language=en|date=10 September 2019}} In November 2021, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer of LIDDS AB.[https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lidds-announces-appointment-johan-harmenberg-100000063.html "LIDDS Announces Appointment of Johan Harmenberg as Chief Medical Officer,"] Yahoo, November 15, 2021.

Scholarship

Harmenberg is the author of over 100 publications in scientific literature. Harmenberg co-authored scientific papers entitled "Fencing: Biomedical and Psychological Factors," "Comparison of different tests of fencing performance" (1991), and "Physiological and morphological characteristics of world class fencers" (1990).{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsci.org/encyc/drafts/Fencing.doc |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-08-18|url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030309120630/http://www.sportsci.org/encyc/drafts/Fencing.doc |archive-date=March 9, 2003 }} Harmenberg has also had a distinguished career in medical pharmacology, publishing a variety of papers relating to viral immunology.{{cite web |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22author%3AJ.+author%3AHarmenberg%22 |title=author:J. author:Harmenberg |publisher=Google Scholar |access-date=June 27, 2010}}

Harmenberg co-authored Épée 2.0: The Birth of the New Fencing Paradigm,Dr. Guy Windsor (2020). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Swordfighting_for_Writers_Game_Designers/8H_4DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Johan+Harmenberg&pg=PT106&printsec=frontcover Swordfighting, for Writers, Game Designers and Martial Artists]Dr. Guy Windsor (2023). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Principles_and_Practices_of_Solo_Tra/B9XWEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Johan+Harmenberg&pg=PT158&printsec=frontcover The Principles and Practices of Solo Training; A Guide for Historical Martial Artists, Sword People, and Everyone Else] Spada Press.Epee 2.0: The New Fencing Paradigm, by Johan Harmenberg, SKA SwordPlay Books, 2007, {{ISBN|978-0978902216}} and Épée 2.5: The New Paradigm Revised and Augmented.Epee 2.5: The New Paradigm Revised and Augmented, SKA SwordPlay Books, 2014, {{ISBN|978-0985444181}} and Epee 2.6.Johan Harmenberg, Philippe Boisse, Angelo Mazzoni, Geoff Pingree, Arnd Schmitt, Björne Väggö. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Epee_2_6/S6so0AEACAAJ?hl=en Epee 2.6,] {{ISBN|9780991116379}} In these books, he describes the new fencing paradigm that he developed with Maestro Eric Sollee, from MIT, which resulted in his victories and a transformation in how Épée is fenced at the higher levels of competition.

References

External links

{{SOK profile}}
{{Olympedia}}
[http://www.fencing.se/2006/templates/nyhet.php?id=5027&categoryID=132 "Johan Harmenberg 50 år"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723011026/http://www.fencing.se/2006/templates/nyhet.php?id=5027&categoryID=132 |date=2011-07-23 }}

Category:1954 births

Category:Living people

Category:Academic staff of the Karolinska Institute

Category:Fencers at the 1980 Summer Olympics

Category:Fencers from Stockholm

Category:Jewish Swedish sportspeople

Category:Jewish Swedish writers

Category:Karolinska Institute alumni

Category:Olympic fencers for Sweden

Category:Olympic gold medalists for Sweden

Category:Olympic medalists in fencing

Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni