Lauri Lehtinen
Lauri Lehtinen in 1931 | |
Personal information | |
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Born | 10 August 1908 Kerkkoo, Porvoo, Finland |
Died | 4 December 1973 (aged 65) Helsinki, Finland |
Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Weight | 64 kg (141 lb) |
Sport | |
Sport | Athletics |
Event | 1500–10000 m |
Club | HT, Helsinki |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best(s) | 1500 m – 3:55.5 (1931) 5000 m – 14:16.9 (1932) 10000 m – 30:15.0 (1937)[1][2] |
Lauri Aleksanteri Lehtinen (10 August 1908[3] – 4 December 1973) was a Finnish long-distance runner, winner of a controversial 5000 m race at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Lehtinen ran a new world record in 5000 m (14:17.0) just a month prior to the Olympics, thus becoming a main favourite to the Olympic 5000 m title. In the final, the Finns Lehtinen and Lauri Virtanen led early. They managed to shake off all other competitors except Ralph Hill from the United States. Soon the race turned into a battle between Lehtinen and Hill. On the last lap, Hill tried to overtake Lehtinen. Seeing this, Lehtinen blocked his way, zig-zagging from one lane to the other to the great exasperation of the crowd. At the finish, Lehtinen crossed first a mere 50 centimetres ahead. Although this was a common tactic in Europe, the American audience was unaccustomed to it, so they booed. Hill declined to file a protest. They both recorded an identical time of 14:30.0. This was the only Olympic race longer than 200 metres in which the top two finishers recorded identical times.[1][4]
At the 1936 Summer Olympics, Lehtinen defended his title, but finished second, after his fellow countryman Gunnar Höckert.[1]
In 1940, Lehtinen donated his Los Angeles gold medal to a soldier who had served with distinction on the Karelian Isthmus. Lehtinen's gesture was a mark of respect for Höckert, who was killed in action on the Isthmus.[1]
In Kerkkoo village in Porvoo, there is a road named after him, "Lauri Lehtisen Tie."
References
External links
- Lauri Lehtinen at Olympics.com
- Lauri Lehtinen at Olympic.org (archived)
- Lauri Lehtinen at Olympedia
- Lauri Lehtinen at World Athletics
Records | ||
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Preceded by | Men's 5000 m World Record Holder 19 June 1932 – 16 June 1939 | Succeeded by |
- v
- t
- e
- 1912: Hannes Kolehmainen (FIN)
- 1920: Joseph Guillemot (FRA)
- 1924: Paavo Nurmi (FIN)
- 1928: Ville Ritola (FIN)
- 1932: Lauri Lehtinen (FIN)
- 1936: Gunnar Höckert (FIN)
- 1948: Gaston Reiff (BEL)
- 1952: Emil Zátopek (TCH)
- 1956: Vladimir Kuts (URS)
- 1960: Murray Halberg (NZL)
- 1964: Bob Schul (USA)
- 1968: Mohammed Gammoudi (TUN)
- 1972: Lasse Virén (FIN)
- 1976: Lasse Virén (FIN)
- 1980: Miruts Yifter (ETH)
- 1984: Saïd Aouita (MAR)
- 1988: John Ngugi (KEN)
- 1992: Dieter Baumann (GER)
- 1996: Vénuste Niyongabo (BDI)
- 2000: Million Wolde (ETH)
- 2004: Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)
- 2008: Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
- 2012: Mo Farah (GBR)
- 2016: Mo Farah (GBR)
- 2020: Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)