Hall of Fame
Bert Ohlander,2014 - Of all the student-athletes that competed at Western Illinois University through the years, track & field standout Bert Ohlander stands in elite company as a national champion.
Â
Born in Helsinki, Ohlander moved to the United States prior to Germany’s invasion of Finland at the start of World War II. Ohlander enrolled at WIU in the fall of 1956 and was a four-year letterwinner in both cross country and track & field for Hall of Fame coach Dick Abbot.
Â
He was a three-time NAIA Outdoor Track & Field national qualifier and captured the 1959 national title in the 880-yard dash in a time of 1:52.5. Ohlander’s title made him the second WIU national champion at that point in the history of Western Illinois Athletics.
Â
As a sophomore he finished third in the 1958 nationals (1:52.5). Ohlander was one of three Western athletes to compete at nationals that season, and that trio scored high enough in all their events to earn a seventh place team finish. Following his national title in 1959, Ohlander qualified for nationals a third time. During the 1960 meet Ohlander ran 1:50.6 (the fastest time of his three appearances in the national finals) and took second place.
Â
During his time at Western, Ohlander was an IIAC runner-up in 1957 and then would go on to win three conference championships in the 800 meters (1958-60). His time of 1:52.6 at the 1960 championships set a new meet record. Ohlander still ranks 10th in the Outdoor 800 meters among the career ‘Top 10’ leaders in WIU history (1:51.94 in 1959).
Â
His impressive times earned him an invitation to the Finland Olympic Committee tryouts. He became Western’s first Olympian as he competed in the 800 meters at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Ohlander earned a spot on the Finnish national team for four years during the 1960s (1960-62, 1964). He also qualified for Finland’s 4x400 Olympic relay team. Ohlander was a first place finisher in meets against Poland, Sweden, and Estonia; second place against Germany and Italy; and fourth place in the Scandinavian championship in 1961.
Â
He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Western in 1961. He spent 36 years in Long Beach, California in sales with the Circle Porsche car company. Ohlander was the 1971 West Coast champion sport car racing with his Porsche 910.
Â
