Leif Hilding Arrhenius (born 15 July 1986)[8] is a professional American-Swedish athlete competing in the shot put and discus throw.[9] He represented Team Sweden at two World and three European Championships. In addition, he is the 2011 U.S. Collegiate Indoor Champion.
Early years / dual citizenship
Born in Utah, Arrhenius has dual Swedish and American citizenship. Leif comes from a family of athletes and missionaries (see the "Family of athletes and missionaries" section below), where his great-grandfather, father and brother have all been Olympians.[8]
High school years
In 2003, Arrhenius was ranked 1st nationally in discus, 2nd in the shot put. In 2004, he was ranked 3rd in both discus and the hammer throw.[10][2] By the end of the 2003 season, at the Utah State Track & Field Meet, he threw the discus 37 feet further than second place Kevin Smith of Box Elder High School.[11]
In 2004, Arrhenius, while attending Mountain View High School and competing for the Bruins, at the Simplot Games track and field competition in Pocatello, Idaho, he broke his own national high school record by 0.75 inches with a toss of his 25-pound weight throw of 82 feet 7.25 inches. He also set a new Utah state high school record, while he finished second in the shot put with a toss of 64 feet 3 inches.[12]
In 2010, Arrhenius earned All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships, when he obliterated his personal best in the weight throw, achieving a fourth place finish.[14]
In 2011, Arrhenius, at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, threw the discus, 201 feet 3 inches (or 61.36 meters), that got him second place, and earned him a first-team All-American. He also threw the shot put, 63 feet 6.75 inches (or 19.37 meters), where he also got second place and first-team All-America accolades. This helped to put BYU in first place at this event.[15] A week later and he was selected as the Mountain West Men's Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year.[16] About the event, BYU head track & field coach said, "He did incredible for us, it was an amazing throw and he really competed down to the end. To score 16 points at Nationals is pretty tough to do."[17]
In 2013, Leif Arrhenius has again followed in his father's and older brother's footsteps by becoming a coach at Park City High School.[20] Leif's older brother, Nik, was a throws coach/assistant coach at BYU.[21][22] Leif's father, Anders Arrhenius, has been a volunteer throws coach at BYU.[5] Leif now works for Centennial Middle School in Provo, Utah, as the Boys' P.E. Coach.[23][24]
Family of athletes and missionaries
Great-grandfather
The great-grandfather of Leif Arrhenius, Bror Aron Axel Arrhenius, started this Legacy, when he took the family name Arrhenius on the 5th of December, 1901. He was conducting the Olympic choir at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and he participated on the Swedish tug of war team that won gold medal. It was an exhibition sport for all of the musicians that participated from different countries.[25]
In another account, Bror Arrhenius, was the anchor of Team Sweden’s tug-of-war team at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm.[26]
Like Leif, Dan Arrhenius was born in Provo, Utah in 1978. He went to Mountain View High School, where he earned all kinds of awards, honors and championships in the discus and shot put, just like Leif. Dan also did very well at BYU adding the hammer throw to the list of events.[31] Dan went on a church mission to Stockholm, Sweden, just like his mother and younger brother, Nik.[5] Dan graduated with his degree in Exercise Science, and continued with his schooling to eventually become a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM).[32]
Older brother, Niklas Bo Arrhenius
Like Leif, Nik Arrhenius was born in Provo, Utah, and went to Mountain View High School, where he earned all kinds of awards, honors and championships in the discus and shot put.[5] Nik graduated from BYU in 2006.[26] Niklas is the current throws coach at Brigham Young University.
Sister-in-law, Tiffany (née Rasmussen) Arrhenius
In 2004, Leif's brother, Nik, married Tiffany Rasmussen, from Oregon,[33] who was also an athlete at BYU. She threw the Javelin and graduated in 2007.[26][34]
