Akilles Järvinen

Akilles "Aki" Eero Johannes Järvinen (19 September 1905 – 7 March 1943) was a Finnish decathlete. He competed at the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics and won two silver medals, in 1928 and 1932; he served as the Finnish flag bearer at all three games. He also won a European silver medal in the 400 m hurdles in 1934.[1]

Akilles Järvinen
Akilles Järvinen at the 1932 Olympics
Personal information
Born19 September 1905
Jyväskylä, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died7 March 1943 (aged 37)
Tampere, Finland
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight86 kg (190 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
ClubTampereen Pyrintö
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1928 Amsterdam Decathlon
Silver medal – second place 1932 Los Angeles Decathlon
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 1934 Turin400 m hurdles

Järvinen was one of Finland's most versatile athletes of his era. At the national level, his decathlon records are still competitive, and if the current decathlon points tables had been used, Järvinen would have won the gold medal at the 1928 and 1932 Olympics.[2]

Järvinen died in 1943 when his VL Pyry trainer aircraft crashed during a test flight. His younger brother Matti was an Olympic champion and 10-time world-record breaker in javelin throw. His elder brother Kalle was an Olympic shot putter, whereas their father Verner won one gold and two bronze Olympic medals in the discus throw.[1]

He was killed during a test flight in World War II.[3]

Personal records
  • 100 m – 10.9 s (1934)[4]
  • 200 m – 21.9 s (1930)[4][5]
  • 400 m – 49.1 s (1931)[4]
  • 1500 m – 4:42.0 s (1928)[4]
  • 110 m hurdles – 15.2 s (1930)[4]
  • 200 m hurdles – 25.4 s (1936)[4]
  • 400 m hurdles – 53.7 s (1934)[4][5]
  • High jump – 180 cm (1925)[4]
  • Pole vault – 360 cm (1930)[4]
  • Long jump – 7.12 m (1930)[4]
  • Triple jump – 14.34 m (1926)[5]
  • Shot put – 14.10 m (1936)[4]
  • Discus – 37.94 m (1931)[4]
  • Javelin – 63.25 m (1933)[4]
  • Decathlon – 8292 (1932, using 1912 scoring tables)[5]

References
  1. Akilles Järvinen. sports-reference.com
  2. Wallechinsky, David (2008). The Complete Book of the Olympics. Aurum Press Ltd. p. 263. ISBN 978-1-84513-330-6.
  3. "Olympians Who Were Killed or Missing in Action or Died as a Result of War". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  4. Akilles Järvinen Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. yleisurheilu.fi
  5. Akilles Järvinen. trackfield.brinkster.net
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Akilles Järvinen.
  • decathlonusa.org (Article contains picture of Järvinen with the other two decathlon medalists in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.)


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