Gertrude Stelling was born in
Puyallup, Washington on January 16, 1913. She took up track and field at
Puyallup High School. Stelling married Andrew Wilhelmsen in November 1932; their first child was born in 1934. At the
1936 Olympic Trials Gertrude Wilhelmsen placed second in the discus throw (116 ft 9 in/35.59 m) and third in the javelin throw (119 ft 3 in/36.35 m), qualifying for the Olympic team in both events; in the javelin she defeated former world record holder
Nan Gindele by a foot to win the last Olympic spot. She was the best American in both events at the
Olympic Games in
Berlin, placing seventh in the javelin throw and eighth in the discus throw. Wilhelmsen died in Puyallup on March 19, 2005. ==References==