Leif Arrhenius
{{Short description|Swedish-American shot putter}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Leif Arrhenius
| image = Arrhenius shot put 2012.jpg
| caption = Leif Arrhenius
| birth_name = Leif Hilding Arrhenius
| full_name =
| nationality = {{SWE}} and
{{USA}}{{cite web |last1=Hill |first1=Greg |date=11 July 2008 |title=Olympics draw LDS athletes |url=https://www.thechurchnews.com/2008/7/12/23231513/olympics-draw-lds-athletes |access-date=16 October 2023 }}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|7|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Provo, Utah, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = Mountain View High School
| height = {{convert|1.94|m|ftin|abbr=on}}{{cite web |title=Leif Arrhenius – Men's Track & Field 2011 – BYU Athletics – Official ... |url=https://byucougars.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/season/2011/player/leif-arrhenius |website=byucougars.com |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
| weight = {{convert|115.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| website =
| sport = Track and field / Athletics
| event = Discus throw and Shot put
| universityteam = Brigham Young University Cougars
| club = Spårvägens FK{{cite web |title=Athletes – Tilastopaja beta |url=https://www.tilastopaja.eu/beta/athletes/men/56397 |website=tilastopaja.eu |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
| coach = Anders Arrhenius,{{cite web |date=11 May 2005 |title=Arrhenius heritage continues at BYU in shot, discus and hammer |url=https://www.deseret.com/2005/5/11/19890594/arrhenius-heritage-continues-at-byu-in-shot-discus-and-hammer |website=deseret.com |access-date=16 October 2023 }}
L. Jay Silvester
Nik Arrhenius
Vesteinn Hafsteinsson
| pb = In International Competitions:
Outdoor:{{cite web |title=Leif ARRHENIUS {{!}} Profile {{!}} World Athletics |url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/sweden/leif-arrhenius-14227356 |website=worldathletics.org |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
SP: 20.50 m (2013)
DT: 64.46 m (2011)
DT-1.75kg: 60.14 m (2005)
HT: 62.77 m (2010)
JT: 49.27 m (2020)
Indoor:
SP: 20.29 m (2013)
SP-35lbs: 21.56 m (2010)
Collegiate personal bests:
DT: 207 feet 0 inches
SP: 65 feet 4.25 inches
HT: 205 feet 11 inches
JT: 163 feet 7 inches
WT: 70 feet 9 inches
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{SWE}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|European Throwing Cup}}
{{MedalSilver|2015 Leiria|Shot put}}
}}
Leif Hilding Arrhenius (born 15 July 1986)[http://www.european-athletics.org/mm/Document/EventsMeetings/General/01/27/53/19/AllMen_Neutral.pdf Prague 2015 bios] is a professional American-Swedish athlete competing in the shot put and discus throw.{{World Athletics}} He represented Team Sweden at two World and three European Championships. In addition, he is the 2011 U.S. Collegiate Indoor Champion.
Early years and dual citizenship
Born in Utah, Arrhenius has dual Swedish and American citizenship. Leif comes from a family of athletes and missionaries (see the "Family of athletes and missionaries" section below), where his great-grandfather, father and brother have all been Olympians.
High school years
In 2003, Arrhenius was ranked 1st nationally in discus, 2nd in the shot put. In 2004, he was ranked 3rd in both discus and the hammer throw. By the end of the 2003 season, at the Utah State Track & Field Meet, he threw the discus 37 feet further than second place Kevin Smith of Box Elder High School.{{cite web |last1=Yount |first1=Michael |date=17 May 2003 |title=Arrhenius Bears Down, Boys: Bruin easily wins the discus at 189 feet, 9 inches as Mountain View takes the Class 4-A lead after the first day of the state meet; Boys Track: Bruin Boys Lead in 4-A |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?itype=storyID&id=100DFCE74A41B065 |work=Salt Lake Tribune |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
In 2004, Arrhenius, while attending Mountain View High School and competing for the Bruins, at the Simplot Games track and field competition in Pocatello, Idaho, he broke his own national high school record by 0.75 inches with a toss of his 25-pound weight throw of 82 feet 7.25 inches. He also set a new Utah state high school record, while he finished second in the shot put with a toss of 64 feet 3 inches.{{cite web |work=Deseret News |date=23 February 2004 |title=Arrhenius tops his own record. Utah prep star wins weight throw at meet. |url=https://www.deseret.com/2004/2/23/19813848/arrhenius-tops-his-own-record |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
University years
Arrhenius represented Brigham Young University and competed for the Cougars from 2005 and 2008–2011. He was a seven-time All-American. He was 2011 NCAA indoor champion in the shot put.{{Cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/sweden/leif-arrhenius-197661|title=Leif ARRHENIUS|website=iaaf.org|access-date=11 October 2018}}
In 2010, Arrhenius earned All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships, when he obliterated his personal best in the weight throw, achieving a fourth place finish.{{cite web |work=Deseret News |date=15 March 2010 |title=Campus briefs: BYU |url=https://www.deseret.com/2010/3/15/20102327/campus-briefs-byu |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
In 2011, Arrhenius, at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, threw the discus, 201 feet 3 inches (or 61.36 meters), that got him second place, and earned him a first-team All-American. He also threw the shot put, 63 feet 6.75 inches (or 19.37 meters), where he also got second place and first-team All-America accolades. This helped to put BYU in first place at this event.{{cite web |work=Deseret News |date=8 June 2011 |title=BYU track: Cougars in first place at NCAA finals |url=https://www.deseret.com/2011/6/9/20197032/byu-track-cougars-in-first-place-at-ncaa-finals |access-date=23 October 2023 }} A week later and he was selected as the Mountain West Men's Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year.{{cite web |work=Deseret News |date=16 June 2011 |title=BYU track: Leif Arrhenius wins award |url=https://www.deseret.com/2011/6/17/20198571/byu-track-leif-arrhenius-wins-award |access-date=23 October 2023 }} About the event, BYU head track & field coach said, "He did incredible for us, it was an amazing throw and he really competed down to the end. To score 16 points at Nationals is pretty tough to do."{{cite web |work=Deseret News |date=10 June 2011 |title=BYU in 4th place at NCAA track meet |url=https://www.deseret.com/2011/6/11/20197477/byu-in-4th-place-at-ncaa-track-meet |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
Arrhenius was also recruited by the University of Kentucky Wildcats and University of Washington Huskies. BYU head Track & field coach Mark Robison said that Leif was one of the best to ever come out of high school.{{cite web |last1=Harmon |first1=Dick |date=26 May 2011 |title=BYU track and field: Cougars a strong-armed bunch |url=https://www.deseret.com/2010/5/27/20117654/byu-track-and-field-cougars-a-strong-armed-bunch |website=deseret.com |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
Coaching career
In 2013, Leif Arrhenius has again followed in his father's and older brother's footsteps by becoming a coach at Park City High School.{{cite web |last1=Raskin |first1=Ben |date=30 January 2013 |title=Prep track: Justin Pickard of Park City breaks American youth shot-put record. Prep track • Justin Pickard attends Treasure Mountain Junior High in Park City. |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?itype=CMSID&id=55716531 |work=Salt Lake Tribune |access-date=23 October 2023 }} Leif's older brother, Nik, was a throws coach/assistant coach at BYU.{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Justin |date=15 August 2023 |title=BYU track: Arrhenius competes at World Championships |url=https://www.deseret.com/2013/8/15/20523992/byu-track-arrhenius-competes-at-world-championships |website=deseret.com |access-date=15 October 2023 }}{{cite web |title=Niklas Arrhenius – BYU Athletics – Official Athletics Website – BYU ... |url=https://byucougars.com/staff/niklas-arrhenius |website=byucougars.com |access-date=17 October 2023 }} Leif's father, Anders Arrhenius, has been a volunteer throws coach at BYU.{{cite web |date=11 May 2005 |title=Arrhenius heritage continues at BYU in shot, discus and hammer |url=https://www.deseret.com/2005/5/11/19890594/arrhenius-heritage-continues-at-byu-in-shot-discus-and-hammer |website=deseret.com |access-date=16 October 2023 }} Leif now works for Centennial Middle School in Provo, Utah, as the Boys' P.E. Coach.{{Cite web|url=http://centennial.provo.edu/|title=Centennial Middle School|website=centennial.provo.edu|language=en-US|access-date=12 October 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://my.uen.org/myuen/294399 |title=Leif Arrhenius – my.uen Utah Education Network |website=my.uen.org |access-date=13 October 2018}}
Family of athletes and missionaries
=Great-grandfather=
The great-grandfather of Leif Arrhenius, Bror Aron Axel Arrhenius, started this Legacy, when he took the family name Arrhenius on 5 December 1901. He was conducting the Olympic choir at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and he participated on the Swedish tug of war team that won gold medal. It was an exhibition sport for all of the musicians that participated from different countries.{{cite web |title=Bror Aron Axel Arrhenius {{!}} FamilySearch.org |url=https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/20702822 |website=www.familysearch.org |access-date=16 October 2023 }}
In another account, Bror Arrhenius, was the anchor of Team Sweden's tug-of-war team at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm.{{cite magazine |author=Current Magazine Staff, All Writers |date=Fall 2007 |title=A Pair of Aces |url=https://magazine.byu.edu/article/a-pair-of-aces-2/ |magazine=Y Magazine |access-date=16 October 2023 }}
Here is an external link to a 43-second video of the 1912 Tug of War competition:{{cite video |year=1912 |title=Olympic Tug Of War – Great Britain Defeat Sweden {{!}} Stockholm 1912 Olympics |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxQ3A-TPnoo |via=YouTube |access-date=16 October 2023 }}
- {{YouTube |id=GxQ3A-TPnoo |title=Olympic Tug Of War – Great Britain Defeat Sweden {{!}} Stockholm 1912 Olympics (43-second video) }}
=Father, Anders Hilding Arrhenius=
Anders Arrhenius, was born in Sweden in 1947.{{cite book |last1=Benson |first1=Lee |last2=Robinson |first2=Doug |date=1 January 1992 |title=Trials & Triumphs/Mormons in the Olympic Games |url=https://www.deseret.com/1992/7/19/18995352/trials-triumphs-isn-t-just-golly-gee-whiz-look-at-champs |publisher=Deseret Book Company |location=Salt Lake City, UT |language=en |access-date=13 October 2023 }} Then, in 1975, he threw for BYU and received All-American honors. Anders also went on to qualify for Sweden in the 1972 Summer Olympics.{{cite book |date=1998 |title=Deseret News 1999–2000 Church Almanac |publisher=Deseret News |page=555 |location=Salt Lake City, UT |isbn=1573454915 }}
=Mother, Kristine (née Fowler) Arrhenius=
In the early 1970s, Kristine Fowler, who is from Rose Park, Salt Lake City, went to Stockholm, Sweden, on a church mission, where she first met Anders Arrhenius.{{cite web |last1=Harmon |first1=Dick |date=11 June 2007 |title=Like father, like son for Arrhenius clan |url=https://www.deseret.com/2007/6/12/20024038/like-father-like-son-for-arrhenius-clan |website=deseret.com |access-date=16 October 2023 }}
=Older brother, Dr. Daniel Anders Arrhenius, PDM=
Like Leif, Dan Arrhenius was born in Provo, Utah in 1978. He went to Mountain View High School, where he earned all kinds of awards, honors and championships in the discus and shot put, just like Leif. Dan also did very well at BYU adding the hammer throw to the list of events.{{cite web |year=2004 |title=Daniel Arrhenius |url=https://byucougars.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/season/2004/player/daniel-arrhenius |website=byucougars.com |access-date=16 October 2023 }} Dan went on a church mission to Stockholm, Sweden, just like his mother and younger brother, Nik. Dan graduated with his degree in Exercise Science, and continued with his schooling to eventually become a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM).{{cite web |year=2017 |title=About Dr. Daniel Arrhenius, PDM, and Banner Safety Practices |url=https://doctors.bannerhealth.com/provider/Daniel+Arrhenius/776226 |website=doctors.bannerhealth.com |access-date=16 October 2023 }}
=Older brother, Niklas Bo Arrhenius=
Like Leif, Nik Arrhenius was born in Provo, Utah, and went to Mountain View High School, where he earned all kinds of awards, honors and championships in the discus and shot put. Nik graduated from BYU in 2006. Niklas is the current throws coach at Brigham Young University.
=Sister-in-law, Tiffany (née Rasmussen) Arrhenius=
In 2004, Leif's brother, Nik, married Tiffany Rasmussen, from Oregon,{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Michael C. |date=25 July 2008 |title=Nik Arrhenius, Track & Field, Sweden – The Salt Lake Tribune |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?itype=NGPSID&id=9996565 |work=Salt Lake Tribune |access-date=17 October 2023 }} who was also an athlete at BYU. She threw the Javelin and graduated in 2007.{{cite web |date=4 July 2008 |title=ARRHENIUS NAMED TO SWEDISH OLYMPIC TEAM – BYU Athletics |url=https://byucougars.com/news/2008/07/04/arrhenius-named-to-swedish-olympic-team |website=byucougars.com |access-date=17 October 2023 }}
Personal life
Arrhenius is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a church missionary in the Taichung Taiwan Mission.{{cite web |author=NewsNet Staff|date=11 March 2009 |title=World-class throwing a family affair for BYU All-American |url=https://universe.byu.edu/2009/03/11/worldclass-throwing-a-family-affair-for-byu-allamerican/ |website=The Daily Universe |access-date=23 October 2023 }}{{cite web |title=Leif Arrhenius Athlete Profile MTrack {{!}} byucougars.com |url=https://byu-cougars-dev.byu-dept-athletics-dev.amazon.byu.edu/athlete/m-track-field/9617/leif-arrhenius |website=byucougars.com |access-date=23 October 2023 }}{{cite web |last1=Harmon |first1=Dick |date=26 May 2008 |title=Arrhenius is man to beat |url=https://www.deseret.com/2008/5/27/20254688/arrhenius-is-man-to-beat |website=deseret.com |access-date=23 October 2023 }}
Competition record
{{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |
colspan="6"|Representing {{SWE}} |
---|
2011
|22nd (q) |Discus throw |
rowspan=2|2012
|rowspan=2|European Championships |rowspan=2|Helsinki, Finland |13th (q) |Shot put |
17th (q)
|Discus throw |
rowspan=2|2013
|European Indoor Championships |10th (q) |Shot put |
World Championships
|Moscow, Russia |14th (q) |Shot put |
2014
|17th (q) |Shot put |
2015
|European Indoor Championships |19th (q) |Shot put |
2016
|23rd (q) |Shot put |
Personal bests
Outdoor
- Shot put – 20.50 (Hässleholm 2013)
- Discus throw – 64.46 (Växjö 2011)
- Hammer throw – 63.62 (Provo, Utah 2014)
Indoor
- Shot put – 20.29 (Copenhagen 2013)
- Weight Throw-21.56 (Fayetteville, Arkansas 2010)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{World Athletics |name=Leif Arrhenius }}
- {{YouTube |id=IIsX4kbDqpM |title=Leif Arrhenius, Shot Put {{!}} Swedish Championships 2016 (10-second video) }}
- {{YouTube |id=wrbVRyp1bCk |title=Technical (Coaching) Analysis #430: Swedish National Champ Leif Arrhenius (1-minute-and-39-second video) }}
{{Brigham Young University}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arrhenius, Leif}}
Category:Sportspeople from Provo, Utah
Category:Track and field athletes from Utah
Category:Swedish male shot putters
Category:Swedish male discus throwers
Category:American male shot putters
Category:American male discus throwers
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Sweden
Category:American people of Swedish descent
Category:Swedish people of American descent
Category:American Latter Day Saints
Category:Swedish Latter Day Saints
Category:American Mormon missionaries
Category:Swedish Mormon missionaries
Category:American Mormon missionaries in Taiwan
Category:Mormon missionaries in Taiwan
Category:21st-century Mormon missionaries
Category:Brigham Young University alumni
Category:BYU Cougars men's track and field athletes
Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners