Eevald Äärma Explained

Birth Name:Evald Ärman
Birth Date:28 December 1911
Birth Place:Tartu, Estonia
Death Date:13 October 2005 (aged 93)
Death Place:Baltimore, U.S.
Height:174 cm
Weight:70 kg
Sport:Athletics
Event:Pole vault
Pb:4.02 (1938)
Club:EASK Tartu
Show-Medals:yes

Eevald Äärma (until 1936 Ärman; 28 December 1911 – 13 October 2005) was an Estonian pole vaulter. He competed at the 1934 European Championships and 1936 Summer Olympics[1] [2] [3] and placed 7th and 26th, respectively.

Early life and education

Äärma was born in Tartu, Estonia, the son of Aleksander Äärman (1875–1957) and Helene Marie Äärman (née Nerska; 1885–1978).[1] [4] He graduated from .[1] He studied veterinary medicine at the University of Tartu (1937–1939)[1] [2] and then at the University of Helsinki.

Athletics and later life

Äärma took up pole vaulting in 1927 and won the Estonian title in 1936 and 1937. He also played ice hockey with the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club.[1] He then worked as a veterinarian in Avinurme, where he married Nelli Kirre (1918–2002) in 1940.[1] In 1944, when the Soviet Army invaded Estonia, he and his family fled to Sweden.[1] [2] He emigrated to the United States in 1954, initially to North Dakota, then to Aplington, Iowa, and finally to Baltimore in 1968,[1] [5] where he worked as a veterinarian.[5] He continued to practice sports, and he won gold medals in javelin and shot put at the 1989 Senior Olympics.[1] Eevald Äärma died in Baltimore in 2005.[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: Ise . Fred . In Memoriam Dr. Eevald Äärina 1911–2005 . 30 September 2024 . Vaba Eesti Sõna . 43 . 25 October 2005.
  2. News: Estonian Once in Olympics to Aplington . The Courier . 6 February 1961 . Waterloo, IA . 14 . 11 January 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Duncan . Scott . Senior Olympics: Competing to Stay Young . The Evening Sun . 12 October 1989 . Baltimore, MD . D1, D13 . 11 January 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  4. "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KWW-8FVH : 10 February 2023), Eevald Aarma.
  5. News: Aarma, DVM, Eevald . The Baltimore Sun . October 14, 2005 . Baltimore, MD . B4 . January 11, 2023 . Newspapers.com.