Pekka Vasala

Pekka Vasala in 1972
Personal information
Born	17 April 1948 (1948-04-17) (age 76) Riihimäki, Finland
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	63–65 kg (139–143 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	1500 m, 800 m
Club	Riihimäen Kisko Mäntsälän Urheilijat
Achievements and titles
Personal best	1500 – 3:36.33 (1972) 800 – 1:44,5 (1972)
Medal record Representing   Finland Olympic Games 1972 Munich 1500 m

Pekka Antero Vasala (born 17 April 1948) is a retired Finnish middle-distance athlete who won an Olympic gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. ^[1]

At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City he failed to advance from the first round of heats in the 1500 m. ^[1]

In Munich he won the 1500 m race in a time of 3 minutes 36.3 seconds, ahead of Kip Keino and Rod Dixon. His countryman Lasse Virén had won the 5,000 m earlier in the day, in addition to winning the 10,000 m in world record time earlier in the games. With a medal in every track event from 1500 to 10,000 meters, three gold and one bronze ( Tapio Kantanen in the 3000 meter steeplechase) Finnish athletes achieved a level of success not seen since the era of the " Flying Finns" (1912–1936).

His nephew, Samuli Vasala, also an athlete, won the 2003 Nordic Cross Country Championships. Vasala is the son-in-law of Martti Matilainen.

References

External links

• Pekka Vasala at World Athletics

Records
Preceded by Walter Adams	European Record Holder Men's 800m 20 August 1972 – 26 June 1973	Succeeded by Marcello Fiasconaro