Eino Purje

Eino Purje ( Eino Purje Alfred, born February 21, 1900 in Kymi in Kotka, † September 2, 1984 in Tervo ) was a Finnish athlete.

Purje was a successful middle and long distance runner in the 1920s and early 1930s and participated in two Olympic Games. He was 1.74 m tall and 66-68 kg in weight.

Services

• 2nd place, 1500 m ( 3:53,9 min)
• No. 9, 1 mile ( 4:16,6 min)

He won three national championships over 1,500 m:

In addition, a third place in 1933 ( 3:57,2 min) and another third place in 1927 over 800 m ( 1:58,5 min).

His first major appearance on the international level he had in 1925, when he was victorious in the Workers' Olympics in Frankfurt / Main on 800, 1500 and 3000 m.

At the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928, he launched both over 1500 m and 5000 m and reached the finals both times. About 5000 meters he had to give up what was all the more disappointing when it had run short before in Helsinki with 14:39,3 min personal best. But was helped by about 1500 m distance the most character on success: He won his heat in 4:00,8 min and let it the famous Frenchman Jules Ladoumègue behind. This feat he could not repeat in the finale though, but scored with 3:56,4 min an excellent time to him on the bronze medal place behind his compatriot Harri Larva, who set in 3:53,2 min an Olympic record, and Ladoumègue ( 3:53,8 min) brought.

Four years later, at the Games in Los Angeles it ran for the now 32 -year-old not so good. After he had qualified second of its forward travel more than 1500 m in 3:59,7 min easy, he had to give up in the final.