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IN MEXICO CITY 1968 THE GOLD EXPLOIT OF KAARLO KANGASNIEMI, THE ONLY FINNISH LIFTER WINNING AT THE GAMES – SportHistoria

article by Nicholas Pucci

Venture to Finland, e try to give a barbell to the Vikings who populate those latitudes. They’ll probably tell you it’s not a job for them, also seen what is the Olympic medalist of that distant country more accustomed to other sports disciplines. Unless non ci si chiami Kaarlo Kangasniemiand then the story changes. Completely.

Kangasniemi, which was born in Kullaa on February 4, 1941, belongs to a family where weight lifting is at homegiven that seven of his eight brothers practice this activity, and soon begins to practice in turn, if it is true that he has been training at the club since the age of 16 Aspiration of Pori. He undoubtedly knows how to do it, competing in the light heavyweight category (up to 84.5 kg.) and often climbing into the medium-heavyweight category (up to 90.5 kg.)and if in 1964 he made his debut in major international events, finishing seventh at both the European Championships in Moscow and the Tokyo Olympicshowever, he has to wait four years to get on a podium that counts for the first time, third at the European Championships in Leningrad in 1968 among the light heavyweights behind Jaan Talts and Swede Bo Johansson.

The continental result convinces Kaarlo to cultivate some secret illusions for the 1968 Mexico City Olympicswhich in a few months go on stage at Theater of the Insurgents of the capital. And here the Finn, significantly improving on the European event, performs the exploit that will earn him eternal glory.

Talts, of course, is the opponent to beat, but already with the slow press Kangasniemi sets the new Olympic record with a lift of 172.5 kg. which earns him the head of the contest. The Soviet chases, 160 kg., also preceded by Johansson and the Polish Marek Golab, paired with 165 kg., but he is the rival to beat and with the next two tests, snatch and sprint, both challenge each other with world record lifts. Kaarlo rips at 157.5kg. considerably increasing his advantage, Talts soars to 197.5 kg., ten kilograms more than the Finn, but absolutely not enough to make him overtake in the final standings, 517.5 kg. against 507.5 kg.with Golab putting the bronze medal around his neck.

The gold medal in Kangasniemi in Mexico City is not only the first for Finland in weightlifting, but also the first podium finish at the Scandinavian country’s Gameswhich will be repeated only in 1984 in Los Angeles when Jouni Gronman and Pekka Niemi will be third respectively among the lightweights (up to 73 kg.) and among the top heavyweights (up to 99 kg.), but what matters, now , is that Kaarlo is not only a first-rate star for his countrymen, but also one of the most acclaimed lifters on the planet.

Indeed Kangasniemi, who will never deny having used anabolic steroids, not prohibited during the sixties, the best is confirmed the following year, 1969, at the World Championships in Warsaw, also valid for the assignment of the European titlebeating Johansson and Hungarian Geza Toth, then repeat at the European Championships in Szombathely in 1970when the Soviet Vassili Kolotov and the inevitable Johansson end up behind him, too thus completing a trio of gold between the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships achieved in Finnish sport only by the legendary figure skater Clas Thunberg, the wrestler Pertti Ukkola and the sailor Thomas Johanson.

Back in the light heavyweight category, Kangasniemi finds the time, bypassing the 30 springs, to finish second at the 1971 World Championships in Lima, when defeated by Soviet Boris Pavlov, 495 kg. against 490 kg., for then seize one last medal at the 1972 European Championships in Constance, bronze following Pavlov himself and the Norwegian Leif Jenssen. The Munich Olympics, in September, are his last great international showcase, but the opponents are too much stronger than him, and the final sixth place, 480 kg against 507.5 kg. of Jenssen, who triumphs over the Pole Norbert Ozimek and the Hungarian Gyorgy Horvath, convince him that it’s time to hang up the barbell, bequeathing an exploit, Olympic gold for Finland in weightlifting, which is still waiting to be equaled.

When will? To posterity, or rather to the successors, the arduous sentence…

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