| Birth Date: | 13 June 1883 |
| Birth Place: | Karlskoga, Sweden |
| Death Date: | 17 May 1965 (aged 81) |
| Death Place: | Santa Clara, California, United States |
| Sport: | Diving |
| Club: | SK Neptun, Stockholm |
| Show-Medals: | yes |
Ernst Magnus Brandsten (13 June 1883 – 17 May 1965) was a Swedish diver who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics for Sweden in Springboard, Platform, and High diving. He was the swimming, water polo, and diving coach for Stanford University from 1916-1947.[1] [2]
Brandsten was born on June 13, 1883, in Karlscoga, Sweden, the central hub for the development of modern diving. In 1902, he graduated from the Stockholm School for Diving.
He competed in 3 m springboard, 10 m platform and plain high diving at the 1912 Summer Olympics and finished seventh in the last event.
After the Olympics, Brandsten immigrated to the United States, where he married the Swedish diver Greta Johansson, who also competed at the 1912 Olympics. The couple trained divers, swimmers, and water polo players at Stanford University from 1916 to 1947 and operated the sports recreation facility, Searsville Lake Park. Brandsten was a U.S. Olympic Diving Coach four times. During his time as a U.S. Olympic coach in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936, his American divers captured 42 of 51 men’s and women’s diving medals. His Stanford athletes, consisting of both divers and swimmers, won nine Olympic gold medals. Outside of Olympic competition, his divers won 25 Amateur Athletic Union national championships.[1]
Ernst and Greta Brandsten's trainees dominated international diving competitions, especially at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics.
Ernst and Greta were both inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame: Brandsten as a swimming and diving coach in 1966, and Johansson as a diver in 1973.