Estonia at the 1936 Summer Olympics

Estonia at the
1936 Summer Olympics
Estonia at the; 1936 Summer Olympics
IOC code	EST
NOC	Estonian Olympic Committee
Website	www.eok.ee (in Estonian)
in Berlin
Competitors	37 (men) in 8 sports
Flag bearer	Erich Altosaar
Medals ; Ranked 13th	Gold2Silver2Bronze3Total7
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
	1920 ; 1924 ; 1928 ; 1932 ; 1936 ; 1948–1988; 1992 ; 1996 ; 2000 ; 2004 ; 2008 ; 2012 ; 2016 ; 2020 ; 2024 ;
Other related appearances
	Russian Empire (1908–1912); Soviet Union (1952–1988)

Last updated December 15, 2025

Estonia competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. It was the nation's fifth consecutive appearance at the Games since 1920, and also the last time prior to World War II. As the country was, after 1940, occupied by the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and the subsequent re-annexation by the Soviet Union, the next time Estonia was able to participate in the Summer Olympics as an independent nation came only with the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Medals

Medal	Name	Sport	Event
Gold	Kristjan Palusalu	Wrestling	Men's Greco-Roman Heavyweight
Gold	Kristjan Palusalu	Wrestling	Men's Freestyle Heavyweight
Silver	Nikolai Stepulov	Boxing	Men's Lightweight
Silver	August Neo	Wrestling	Men's Freestyle Light Heavyweight
Bronze	Arnold Luhaäär	Weightlifting	Men's Heavyweight
Bronze	Voldemar Väli	Wrestling	Men's Greco-Roman Lightweight
Bronze	August Neo	Wrestling	Men's Greco-Roman Light Heavyweight

The 1936 Estonian Olympic Team

Estonia sent 37 athletes and 13 representatives to the 1936 Summer games.

Representatives

The Estonian National Olympic Committee representative was Konrad Mauritz. Estonian team representatives were delegation heads: NOC secretary Ado Anderkopp and Harald Tammer, attaché Councillor at the Legation Georg Meri, Officer of the Honorary Service Lieutenant Refior, manager Johannes Villemson, Aleksander Paluvere in athletics, Nikolai Kursman in wrestling, Eduard Kõppo in weightlifting, Peeter Matsov in boxing, Gustav Laanekõrb in sailing, Richard Mast in swimming, Edgar Kolmpere in basketball, Aleksander Praks – massage therapist, Valentin Purre – team chef, dr. Arnold Roomere-Rõmmer – medical doctor. There were also 30 Estonian youths, led by Johan Meimer, taking part of The International Youth Encampment and 28 students took part of The International Physical Education Students' Encampment in Berlin.

Team coaches

Aleksander Kolmpere – athletics, Nikolai Kursman – wrestling, Herbert Niiler – basketball.

Judges

Aleksei Selenoi in basketball, Peeter Matsov in boxing; Johannes Kauba, Karl Kullisaar and Johannes Villemson in wrestling

Other delegations

Estonians in other delegations were Kalev Kotkas (from 1936 fi: Kalevi Kotkas) for Finland in athletics – high jump, Leonard Einsaar for Australia in rowing – Men's eight, Valentin Klõšeiko (pl: Walenty Kłyszejko) coach for Polish basketball team.

Press

Aleksander Antson (Eesti Spordipressi Klubi and Uusi Suomi ), Oskar Lõvi alias Toomas Kivi ( Postimees , Päevaleht and Eesti Raadio), Aadu Adari-Adorf ( Uudisleht ), Vladimir Raudsepp ( Uus Eesti ), Ilmar Peterson (Päevaleht), Aksel Vaik ( Vaba Maa ), Harald Nõmmik ( Rahvaleht ). Newspaper columnists Artur Reisner, Eevald Äärma, Johannes Villemson, Ernst Idla etc. The International Youth Encampment coverage by R. Uustal and The International Physical Education Students' Encampment coverage by Arved Ojari.

Olympic Identity Cards

The Organizing Committee issued 126 Olympic Identity Cards for Estonian participants.

Athletics

Men
Track & road events

Athlete	Event	Heat		Quarterfinal		Semifinal		Final
Athlete	Event	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Ruudi Toomsalu	Men's 100 m	11.0	3	Did not advance
Reginald Uba	Men's 1500 metres	4.26,2	8	Did not advance

Field events

Athlete	Event	Heat		Final
Athlete	Event	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Eevald Äärma	Men's pole vault	3.70	26	Did not advance
Koit Annamaa	Men's hammer throw	50.46	8 Q	50.46	8
Aksel Kuuse	Men's high jump	1.85	1 Q	1.90	10
Gustav Sule	Men's javelin throw	64.90	5 Q	63.26	11
Ruudi Toomsalu	Men's long jump	7.15	20	Did not advance
Arnold Viiding	Men's shot put	15.23	8 Q	15.23	8

Basketball

Men

Estonian Team: (Artur Amon, Aleksander Illi, Robert Keres, Vladimir Kärk, Evald Mahl, Heino Veskila, Erich Altosaar, Aleksander Margiste, Bernhard Nooni, Leonid Saar, Georg Vinogradov, Coach: Herbert Niiler)

First round

Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first consolation round for another chance to move on.

7 August 1936 (1936-08-07)	Estonia	34–29	France	Berlin, Germany
	Scoring by half: 16–17, 18–12

Second round

Winners advanced to the third round. Losers competed in the second consolation round for another chance to move on.

9 August 1936 (1936-08-09)	United States	52–28	Estonia	Berlin, Germany

Third round

Winners advanced to the third round. Losers competed in the second consolation round for another chance to move on.

11 August 1936 (1936-08-11)	Philippines	39–22	Estonia	Berlin, Germany

Boxing

Men

Athlete	Event	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final
Athlete	Event	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Evald Seeberg	Featherweight	Nicolae Berechet (ROU) W PTS	Theodore Kara (USA) L PTS	Did not advance
Nikolai Stepulov	Lightweight	André Wollscheidt (LUX) W PTS	Hidekichi Nagamatsu (JPN) W PTS	Carlos Lillo (CHI) W PTS	Erik Ågren (SWE) W PTS	Imre Harangi (HUN) L PTS

Rowing

Estonia had one rowers participate in one out of seven rowing events in 1936.^[1]

Men

Athlete	Event	Heats		Repechage		Semifinals		Final
Athlete	Event	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Elmar Korko	Single sculls	7.40,4	3 q	7.44,1	3	Did not advance			13

Sailing

Open

Athlete	Event	Race														Final rank
		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		Final rank
		Score	Rank	Score	Rank	Score	Rank	Score	Rank	Score	Rank	Score	Rank	Score	Rank	Score	Rank
Erik von Holst	O-Jolle	DNF	0	6	20	7	19	21	5	13	13	9	17	22	4	78	17

Harald Tammik – reserve, Boat name: Brandenburg No. O/G 304

Swimming

Men

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
Athlete	Event	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Boris Roolaid	100 metre backstroke	1.21,1	29	Did not advance
Egon Roolaid	100 metre freestyle	1.01,5	20	Did not advance

Weightlifting

Men

Athlete	Event	Military Press		Snatch		Clean & Jerk		Total	Rank
Athlete	Event	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Total	Rank
Erm Lund	60 kg	72,5	16	85	11	112,5	8	270	13
Peeter Mürk	67.5 kg	75	16	95	10	115	11	285	11
Karl Oole	82.5 kg	87,5	13	100	11	132,5	13	320	14
Arnold Luhaäär	+82.5 kg	115	6	120	6	165 OR	1	400

Wrestling

Men's Freestyle

Athlete	Event	Elimination Pool							Final round
Athlete	Event	Round 1 Result	Round 2 Result	Round 3 Result	Round 4 Result	Round 5 Result	Round 6 Result	Rank	Final round Result	Rank
Adalbert Toots	−66 kg	BYE	Eiichi Kazama (JPN) L 0–3	Howard Thomas (CAN) W 3–0	Charles Delporte (FRA) L F 4:00	—		8	Did not advance
August Kukk	−72 kg	Willy Angst (SUI) L F 5.40	Kálmán Sóvári (HUN) L 1–2	—				13	Did not advance
August Neo	−87 kg	Knut Fridell (SWE) L 0–3	Ede Virág-Ébner (HUN) W F 9.22	Ray Clemons (USA) W F 8.09	Paul Dätwyler (SUI) W 3–0	Erich Siebert (GER) W 3–0	—	2	Erich Siebert (GER) W 3–0
Kristjan Palusalu	+87 kg	Josef Klapuch (TCH) W F 10.50	Robert Herland (FRA) W F 6.45	Mehmet Çoban (TUR) W 3–0	Werner Bürki (SUI) W F 6.15	Hjalmar Nyström (FIN) W 3–0	BYE	1	Hjalmar Nyström (FIN) W 3–0

Men's Greco-Roman

Athlete	Event	Elimination Pool							Final round
Athlete	Event	Round 1 Result	Round 2 Result	Round 3 Result	Round 4 Result	Round 5 Result	Round 6 Result	Rank	Final round Result	Rank
Evald Sikk	−56 kg	Dante Bertoli (ITA) L 0–3	Josef Buemberger (AUT) W F 12.30	Ali Erfan (EGY) W 3–0	Márton Lõrincz (HUN) W 3–0	—		6	Did not advance
Voldemar Väli	−66 kg	Arild Dahl (NOR) W F 4.53	Heinrich Nettesheim (GER) W 3–0	Saim Arikan (TUR) W 3–0	Zbigniew Szajewski (POL) W F 15:21	Herbert Olofsson (SWE) W F 13.14	Lauri Koskela (FIN) L 1–2	3	Jozef Herda (TCH) L 0–3
Edgar Puusepp	−72 kg	Fritz Schäfer (GER) L 0–3	Gyula Vincze (HUN) W F 13.40	Jean de Feu (BEL) W F 6.58	Rudolf Svedberg (SWE) L 0–3	—		4	Did not advance
Voldemar Mägi	−79 kg	Väinö Kokkinen (FIN) L 1–2	Ercole Gallegati (ITA) L 0–3	—				11	Did not advance
August Neo	−87 kg	BYE	Axel Cadier (SWE) L 0–3	Franz Foidl (AUT) W F 4.59	Umberto Silvestri (ITA) W F 12.19	Edvīns Bietags (LAT) L 1–2	—	3	Did not advance
Kristjan Palusalu	+87 kg	Eduard Schöll (AUT) W F 8.41	Zoltán Kondorossy (ROU) W F 10.36	John Nyman (SWE) W 3–0	Mehmet Çoban (TUR) W 3–0	Kurt Hornfischer (GER) W 3–0	BYE	1	Kurt Hornfischer (GER) W 3–0

References

↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Estonia Rowing at the 1936 Berlin Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2018.

Official Olympic Reports
International Olympic Committee results database
Estonian Olympic Committee – about the Berlin 1936 Olympics (in Estonian)
Antson, Aleksander (1992) [1937]. Berliini olümpiamängud 1936 (en: Berlin Olympic Games 1936). facsimile (in Estonian). Tartu: Noor-Eesti Kirjastus (facsimile: Olympia). ISBN 5-450-02427-4.
Kuningas, Tiit; Tiit Lääne (2005). Olümpiamängude ajalugu II, suvemängud 1920–1944 (en: History of the Olympic Games II Summer Games 1920–1944) (in Estonian). Tallinn: Maalehe Raamat. ISBN 9985-64-255-4.

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[1] Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Estonia Rowing at the 1936 Berlin Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2018.

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