Born in Helsinki to a wealthy family, Gunnar Höckert had only one great season, in 1936.

The tempo was dictated by American Donald Lash, but he was overtaken by three Finns after 2,000 m. Soon the race turned into a battle between Höckert and defending Olympic Champion and world record holder Lauri Lehtinen.

In the last lap Höckert overran Lehtinen to win in a world's season best time of 14:22.2.

[1] The rest of Höckert's athletics career was hampered by rheumatism, and he never again achieved the times he had run in 1936.

He was killed during the Winter War in Johannes on the Karelian Isthmus, just one day before his thirtieth birthday.