Harri Larva

Harri Larva (actually: Harry Edvin Lagerström; born September 9, 1906 in Turku, † November 15, 1980 ) was a Finnish middle distance runner and Olympic champion.

In 1927 he won the bronze medal beia the Finnish Championships over 1500. 1928 Larva was under pressure from the nationalists Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, President of the Finnish Athletics Federation and later President of Finland to leave his original surname change Lagerström in Larva, because it does not finnish listened. The change of Swedish surnames into Finnish was then but common.

At the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928 he won the gold medal in the 1500 m ahead of Frenchman Jules Ladoumègue and the Finns Eino Purje. In the Summer Olympics 1932 in Los Angeles, he also took part in this event and finished ninth.

The year 1928 was his best year probably athletic, though he from 1928 to 1930 and 1934 Finnish Champion in the 800 - meter race was over the years.

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