The first Estonian mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records was a sportsman.

In the Olympic Games of 1912 in Stockholm, the Finn Alfred Asikainen and the Estonian Martin Klein wrestled for a record 11 hours and 40 minutes. Klein won, and "Russia" was given as his country of residence .

The first chance to rectify this mistake came in 1918 when the Republic of Estonia came into being for the first time. Martin Klein was the first Estonian Olympic medal winner. Among other Estonians, the heavyweight wrestlers Georg Lurich, Aleksander Aberg and Georg Hackenschmidt were famous at the turn of the century. The Guinness Book of Records writes about the latter: "Georg Karl Julius Hackenschmidt (1877-1968) suffered no defeats in the period 1898-1908)." Later, Georg Hackenschmidt lived in England and acquired a reputation as a philosopher. Georg Lurich, another sportsman who excelled both in body and in mind, was later to become a leading figure of our nation.

Before independence, Estonians were the best in the whole Russian empire in athletics (16 records out of 29), wrestling and weightlifting.

Estonian sport was therefore born before the independent state. Furthermore, it was an important factor in our national awakening. Several great figures of national politics, among them the first president Konstantin Päts, belonged to the sports association "Kalev" (1901). It is thus no surprise that sportsmen have always been held in high regard in Estonia.

The best example is the fate of Kristjan Palusalu (1908-1987), the heavyweight wrestler who won two gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. For this achievement, the athlete who came from the peasantry, received a farmhouse from the state. After the Soviet Union occupied Estonia in 1940 and war broke out, Palusalu was deported to Russia. He managed to escape, was condemned to death, escaped again and finally reached home. After the second invasion by the Soviet Union, Palusalu was arrested and was obliged to lead a reclusive life. But he was not forgotten by the people. Perhaps because his life reflected the fate of the whole nation, Kristjan Palusalu has remained the most popular sportsman in Estonia throughout history.

And who was elected the most popular Estonian of 1996? Erki Nool, the European champion of the decathalon.

Organised sport in Estonia began in 1888 with the establishment of a heavyweight club in Tallinn. After that, numerous societies of gymnastics, cycling, swimming, football and skating sprang up all over the country. Hundreds of Estonians, men and women, performed in world circuses as professional wrestlers, weightlifters etc.

In 1923, all societies were united into one central sports association - The Union of Estonian Sport. The Estonian Olympic Committee was established in the same year.

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In Antwerp in 1920 two silver and one gold medal were won. Estonia had already taken part in the Olympic Games two years previously. During the first period of independence, between 1918-1940, Estonians won 21 Olympic medals in all; they never fell below 16th place regarding points. In championships, medals were won by Estonia's ice-boat sailors, wrestlers, weightlifters, boxers. The chess world saw the meteoric rise of Paul Keres, known for four decades as the eternal second. Palusalu's example was followed by Johannes Kotkas who became the best heavyweight wrestler in the world for several decades. Estonian sport, alongside economy, was on the rise until the Soviet forces put an end to it all.

During the following war and repressions, Estonia lost one tenth of its population, the more enterprising part. The love for sport, however, remained intact. In the Soviet Union, Estonians were among the best in wrestling, sailing, swimming, tennis, shooting, table tennis etc. Estonians took part in the next Olympic games in Helsinki in 1952. Although they officially competed as members of the Soviet team, they won 1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals. Johannes Kotkas was the world's strongest wrestler.

Between 1940-1988, Estonians won 11 gold medals at the Olympics. At the chess Olympics, Paul Keres received a team gold medal 7 times. The Soviet Union naturally took credit for all of these achievements.

But things were about to change. When the basketball player Tiit Sokk and cyclist Erika Salumäe won gold medals at the Soul Olympics, it was considered one of the signs of Estonia's new awakening. Both sportsmen were presented with a house, just like Palusalu many years before.

Independence arrived in 1991. But as early as 1989, the Estonian Olympic Committee had resumed work and the Central Union of Estonian Sport started in 1990. Estonian sport soon regained its position in world sport.

The same occurred in Olympic sport. In honour of Erika Salumäe's victory in Barcelona, 1992, the Estonian tricolor was hoisted once again, after 56 years.

Now that the first exhilaration of independence is dying down, the economic difficulties are also decreasing. Estonian sport is conducted as in any open society. There are numerous sport clubs and societies. Various unions maintain international relations. Our best sportsmen take part in the world and European championships; they also compete for Estonia in the Olympic games. At the Atlanta Paraolympics, Estonians won quite a few medals.

The central body of Estonian sporting life is the Estonian Olympic Committee; it unites all clubs and societies. The sporting activities are mostly financed by the Ministry of Culture.

The most popular fields of sport are light athletics (Olympic winners Jüri Tarmak and Jaak Uudmäe); basketball (Olympic winner Tiit Sokk, Martin Müürsepp in NBA); chess (grandmasters Jaan Ehlvest and Lembit Oll); sailing (double Olympic winners Tõnu and Toomas Tõniste); and cycling (Olympic winners Aavo Pikkuus and Erika Salumäe). Basketball is the most popular ball game in Estonia, and it is in this sport that the best results have been achieved. Though Tiit Sokk fought for the gold at the Seoul Olympics as a member of the Soviet team, he did it for his people.

Those who participate in sports for recreation, belong to the Estonian Health Sport Union. The Tartu skiing marathon is an internationally known event; it is a part of the Worldloppet series. There are always many running events going on all over Estonia. Hiking and tourism in general are also popular.

Under foreign rule, sport has always been a means for national self-expression and a chance to establish relations with other countries. Now Estonians are again free, but the historic role of sport has not diminished.

For this reason, Estonians have always considered themselves a sporting nation, and the sportsmen - Lurich, Palusalu, Keres - our national heroes.

Paavo Kivine

Many Estonian sports heroes have been immortalised in art. Amandus Adamson's bronze sculpture of Georg Lurich, multiple World Champion in wrestling.

Kristjan Palusalu - his life was a reflection of the fate of the Estonian people.

The best Estonian sportsman and the most popular Estonian of 1996, was Erki Nool.

Paul Keres. It is unlikely that any nation other than Estonians has put a chess champion on a bank note.

The symbol of the Estonian Olympic Committee

The Olympic gold medals of the cyclist Erika Salumäe and the basketball player Tiit Sokk coincided with the beginning of the popular movement for the restoration of Estonian independence. Their accomplishment strengthened the self-confidence of Estonians.

Tiit Sokk - member of the winning team at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

The Estonians are a Northern people and skiing is a part of their life-style. Thousands take part in the Tartu Ski Marathon, which is included in the international Worldloppet series.