Hanno Selg (1932-2019)

The Rome 1960 Olympic silver medallist, Hanno Selg, has died at the age of 87.

Born in Tartu in Estonia in 1932, Selg became a strong component of the Soviet Union Modern Pentathlon team and it was with this team that he enjoyed his crowning glory.

Finishing 10th in the individual Olympic Pentathlon in Rome, he contributed to the USSR’s 2nd place overall alongside the legendary Igor Novikov and Nikolai Tatarinov. Hungary won team gold and USA picked up the bronze.

Selg was operating at the peak of his powers at this time; he was also USSR national champion in 1960 and won the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) title six times between 1953 and 1965.

Selg demonstrated his versatility as an athlete by also competing in fencing and skiing. At the 1952 Estonian Skiing Championships, he won a silver medal in the 4x10km cross-country relay and a bronze in the slalom.

In 1965, he became Estonian champion in team epee.

In 1960 Selg was voted Estonian athlete of the year in recognition of his Olympic success. In 2010, he received an Honorary Decoration of the Estonian Olympic Committee.