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Anton Koolmann

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Name
  
Anton Koolmann

Role
  
Olympic athlete

Died
  
June 29, 1953


Born
  
11 September 1899 (
1899-09-11
)

Anton Koolmann (11 September 1899 – 29 June 1953) was a wrestler and coach from Kuusalu Parish, Estonia who took part at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

Career

1924 after winning Estonian Greco-Roman wrestling championships he participated at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France:

Men's Greco-Roman bantamweight (-58 kg)

  • First round – defeated French champion Georges Appruzeze  France (FRA) by fall 13min 10s.
  • Second round – lost to 1932 Summer Olympics champion Giovanni Gozzi  Italy (ITA) with points.
  • Third round – lost to 1921 world champion and later Bronze medalist Väinö V. Ikonen  Finland (FIN) with points. (→ did not advance, 13.-16. place)

    • Men's freestyle featherweight (-61 kg)

  • 1/8 Final round – lost to later Gold medalist Robin Reed  United States (USA)
  • Tournament to 2nd place - First round – lost to later Silver medalist Chester Newton  United States (USA). (→ did not advance, 10. place)

    • After Olympics he didn't return to home, but arrived, according to The Estonian Archives in Australia (EAA), 16 February 1925 from Campbeltown to Adelaide, Australia on the four-masted Barque "Carthpool" (Sister ship of Lawhill).

    In Australia within the first fortnight of his career as a professional wrestler Koolmann won in seven successive championship matches, two state championships, three Victorian and two Australasian amateur championships. He won Australian middleweight championstitle from Hughie Whitman.

    15 October 1928 he moved to New Zealand and got citizenship in 1933.

    1934 he wrestled against former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Gus "The Goat" Sonnenberg.

    Late 30's, he trained many New Zealand wrestling champions in his Koolman's Gym in Wellington. Among them Ernie "Kiwi" Kingston and from 1951 Maori professional heavyweight wrestler Keita Meretana of Wairoa.

    He died suddenly in his home at age 53 in Wellington, New Zealand.

    References

    Anton Koolmann Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA