Niels Holst-Sørensen

Niels Holst-Sørensen (born 19 December 1922) is a former Danish athlete and air force officer. He served as the commander-in-chief of the Royal Danish Air Force from 1970-1982 and Denmark's military representative to NATO from 1982-1986. He won gold and silver medals at the 1946 European Athletics Championships and served as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1977-2002.

Athletic career
Holst-Sørensen's first major international meeting was the 1946 European Championships, which took place in Oslo. Holst-Sørensen won the gold medal in the 400 metres with a time of 47.9 seconds. He won a silver medal over 800 metres, finishing a tenth of a second behind the Swedish athlete Rune Gustafsson in a time of 1:51.1. He was also a member of the Danish team which finished fourth in the 4 x 400 metres relay in a time of 3:15.4.

Holst-Sørensen competed in the 800 metres at the 1948 Olympics in London. He qualified for the final in a time of 1:52.4, but finished the final in eighth place in a time of 1:53.4.

Holst-Sørensen won a total of ten Danish championships over 400 and 800 metres, winning both events every year from 1943 to 1947. In 1943 he won the 800 metres in a time of 1:48.9, the fastest time recorded in the world that year. Holst-Sørensen began his career running for Herning GF, but switched to Københavns Idræts Forening in 1944.

Holst-Sørensen joined to International Olympic committee in 1977 and served as a member until 2002. He served on the IOC's coordination committees for the Winter Olympic Games in Albertville in 1992, Lillehammer in 1994, Nagano in 1998 and Salt Lake City in 2002. He was named as an honorary member of the IOC following his retirement in 2002. Holst-Sørensen also served as the president of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark from 1981 to 1984.

Military career
Holst-Sørensen is a graduate of the Royal Danish Army Officers Academy and was a serving Lieutenant in the Royal Danish Army during his athletic career. He was transferred to the Royal Danish Air Force at its foundation in 1950. He eventually rose to the rank of Major General and served as the commander-in-chief of the Air Force from 1970 to 1982 and Denmark's military representative to NATO from 1982 to 1986. He retired from the Air Force in 1987.