Eero Lehtonen

Eero Lehtonen
Eero Lehtonen c. 1920
Personal information
Born21 April 1898
Mikkeli, Finland
Died9 November 1959 (aged 61)
Helsinki, Finland
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event
Pentathlon
ClubMikkelin Kilpa-Veikot, Mikkeli
Achievements and titles
Personal bests400 m – 53.0 (1924)
LJ – 7.02 m (1920)
Pentathlon – 3416 (1924)
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1920 AntwerpPentathlon
Gold medal – first place1924 ParisPentathlon

Eero Reino Lehtonen (21 April 1898 – 9 November 1959) was a Finnish athlete. He competed at the 1920 Olympics in the pentathlon, long jump, and decathlon, and at the 1924 Olympics in the pentathlon and 4 × 400 m relay. He won the pentathlon at both Games, but performed poorly in other events. He retired after learning that the pentathlon was excluded from the 1928 Olympics.[1]

In 1920, Lehtonen won the national titles in the pentathlon and long jump, setting a new national long jump record at 7.02 m. At the 1920 Olympics, he tried the decathlon, but gave up after five events. He semi-retired after the Olympics but returned in 1922, winning the national long jump and pentathlon titles again. At the 1924 Olympic pentathlon, Robert LeGendre set a world record in the long jump, but Lehtonen performed better overall and won the gold medal.[2]

In 1984, a bronze statue of Lehtonen was installed at the sports park in Mikkeli, his hometown.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Eero Lehtonen. sports-reference.com
  2. ↑ "Eero Lehtonen". Olympedia. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
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