Saint-Moritz, February 1928: Gillis GRAFSTRÖM of Sweden, 1st, in action in the individual figure skating event during the II Olympic Winter Games. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum CollectionsBorn: 7 June 1893
Deceased: 14 April 1938
Birthplace: Stockholm (Sweden)
Nationality: Sweden
Sport: Skating
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Antwerp 1920
Chamonix 1924
St. Moritz 1928
Lake Placid 1932
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 3
Silver: 1
Other results:
World Championships
3 Gold (22, 24, 29)
Figure Skating's Early Innovator
Gillis Grafström was one of figure skating's greatest innovators. Among his inventions were the spiral, the change sit spin and the flying sit spin. He also earned more Olympic medals than any figure skater in history. In 1920, the six judges gave Grafström a unanimous victory. In 1924, he edged Willy Böckl for a second gold medal and in 1928 he won an even narrower victory over Böckl for a third. Finally, at the 1932 Lake Placid Olympics, the 38-year-old Grafström was dethroned by Karl Schäfer. However he did win the silver medal to become the only figure skater to win four medals.
