Finland

25-year old wrestler Verner Weckman became Finland's first Olympic Champion when he won the light-heavyweight Greco-Roman contest at London on 27 July 1908. Two years earlier he and compatriot discus thrower Werner Järvinen had won Gold at the Interim Games at Athens, both on 1 May 1906.

From 1908 until Atlanta in 1996, Finland have never failed to win a Gold medal at a Summer Olympics and only twice were unable to achieve Gold at the Winter Games.

Just 48 Finish athletes have been Olympic Champion prior to WW2 but have won, between them 67 Gold Medals.

M/F

Name

Year

Gold

SPORT

born

died

M

Verner Weckman

1908

1

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

26.7.1882

22.2.1968

M

Hannes Kolehmainen

1912

4

TRACK & FIELD

9.12.1889

11.1.1966

M

Juho Saaristo

1912

1

TRACK & FIELD

21.7.1891

12.10.1969

M

Armas Taipale

1912

2

TRACK & FIELD

27.7.1890

9.11.1976

M

Kaarlo Koskelo

1912

1

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

12.4.1888

21.12.1953

M

Emil Väre

1912

2

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

28.9.1885

31.1.1974

M

Yrjö Saarela

1912

1

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

13.7.1884

30.6.1951

F

Ludovika Jakobsson

1920

1

FIGURE SKATING

25.7.1884

1.11.1968

M

Walter Jakobsson

1920

1

FIGURE SKATING

6.2.1882

10.6.1957

M

Eero Lehtonen

1920

2

TRACK & FIELD

21.4.1898

9.11.1959

M

Jonni Myyrä

1920

2

TRACK & FIELD

13.7.1892

22.1.1955

M

Wille Pörhölä

1920

1

TRACK & FIELD

24.12.1897

28.11.1964

M

Paavo Nurmi

1920

9

TRACK & FIELD

13.6.1897

2.10.1973

M

Vilho Tuulos

1920

1

TRACK & FIELD

26.3.1895

2.9.1967

M

Eino Leino

1920

1

Wrestling - Freestyle

7.4.1891

30.11.1986

M

Kalle Anttila

1920

2

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

30.8.1887

1.1.1975

M

Elmer Niklander

1920

1

TRACK & FIELD

19.1.1890

12.11.1942

M

Teodor Koskenniemi

1920

1

TRACK & FIELD

5.11.1887

15.3.1965

M

Heikki Liimatainen

1920

2

TRACK & FIELD

14.3.1894

24.12.1980

M

Oskari Friman

1920

2

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

27.1.1893

19.10.1933

M

Adolf Lindfors

1920

1

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

8.2.1879

6.5.1959

M

Clas Thunberg

1924

5

SPEED SKATING

5.4.1893

28.4.1973

M

Julius Skutnabb

1924

1

SPEED SKATING

12.6.1889

26.2.1965

M

Ville Ritola

1924

5

TRACK & FIELD

18.1.1896

24.4.1982

M

Edvard Westerlund

1924

1

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

1.2.1901

7.12.1982

M

Elias Katz

1924

1

TRACK & FIELD

22.6.1901

24.12.1947

M

Albin Stenroos

1924

1

TRACK & FIELD

25.2.1889

30.4.1971

M

Kustaa Pihlajamäki

1924

2

Wrestling - Freestyle

7.4.1902

10.2.1944

M

Arvo Haavisto

1928

1

Wrestling - Freestyle

7.1.1900

22.4.1977

M

Kaarlo Mäkinen

1928

1

Wrestling - Freestyle

14.5.1892

11.5.1980

M

Harry Larva

1928

1

TRACK & FIELD

9.9.1906

15.11.1980

M

Toivo Loukola

1928

1

TRACK & FIELD

2.10.1902

10.1.1984

M

Paavo Yrjölä

1928

1

TRACK & FIELD

18.6.1902

11.2.1980

M

Väinö Kokkinen

1928

2

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

25.11.1899

27.8.1967

M

Veli Saarinen

1932

1

NORDIC SKIING

16.9.1902

12.10.1969

M

Hermanni Pihlajamäki

1932

1

Wrestling - Freestyle

11.11.1903

4.6.1982

M

Matti Järvinen

1932

1

TRACK & FIELD

18.2.1909

22.7.1985

M

Lauri Lehtinen

1932

1

TRACK & FIELD

10.8.1908

4.12.1973

M

Volmari Iso-Hollo

1932

2

TRACK & FIELD

1.5.1907

23.6.1969

M

Kalle Jalkanen

1936

1

NORDIC SKIING

10.5.1907

5.9.1941

M

Klaes Karppinen

1936

1

NORDIC SKIING

9.10.1907

24.1.1992

M

Matti Lähde

1936

1

NORDIC SKIING

14.5.1911

2.5.1978

M

Sulo Nurmela

1936

1

NORDIC SKIING

13.2.1908

M

Ilmari Salminen

1936

1

TRACK & FIELD

21.9.1902

5.1.1986

M

Gunnar Höckert

1936

1

TRACK & FIELD

12.2.1910

11.2.1940

M

Lauri Koskela

1936

1

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

16.5.1907

3.8.1944

M

Aleksanteri Sarvala

1936

1

GYMNASTICS

9.4.1914

7.10.1989

M

Sten Suvio

1936

1

BOXING

25.11.1911

19.10.1988

I would be grateful for any corrections and additional biographical information, pictures, stories, anecdotes etc.

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