John Systad (14 September 1912 – 16 September 1998) was a Norwegian long-distance runner who specialized in the

marathon race The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

. He represented

TIF Viking Turn & Idrettsforeningen Viking is a Norwegian sports club from Bergenhus, Bergen. It has sections for gymnastics, athletics, race walking, orienteering, volleyball, handball and skiing. It was founded on 17 May 1892 as ''IK Viking'', but later ...

Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...

. He finished twelfth at the 1946 European Championships, eighth at the

1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and officially branded as London 1948, were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus cau ...

, ninth at the 1950 European Championships and finally 34th at the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics (, ), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (, ) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952, were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. After Japan declared in ...

. He became Norwegian marathon champion in the years 1950-1953 and 1955. His personal best time was 2:32:16 hours, achieved in October 1956 in

Sandvika Sandvika () is the administrative centre of the municipality of Bærum in Norway. It was declared a List of cities in Norway, city by the municipal council (Norway), municipal council in Bærum on 4 June 2003. Sandvika is situated approximately ...

.Norwegian all-time list marathon

Achievements

References

1912 births 1998 deaths Norwegian male long-distance runners Athletes (track and field) at the 1948 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1952 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for Norway Place of birth missing Place of death missing 20th-century Norwegian sportsmen {{Norway-athletics-bio-stub