Heikki Hasu

Heikki Hasu Vihtori ( born March 21, 1926 in Sippola ) is a former Finnish skiers who was successful in the Nordic combined and cross-country skiing. Later he was active as a politician.

Career

His international debut Hasu who start preparing for Myllykosken Kilpa - Veikot, at the Olympic Winter Games of 1948 in St. Moritz. He won the gold medal in the individual Nordic Combined. About 18 km cross-country skiing, he finished in fourth place and thus missed another medal just barely. Shortly after the games celebrated Hasu his first success at the Lahti Ski Games in the Nordic combined. In the following year he was able to celebrate this success. In the Nordic World Ski Championships 1950 in Lake Placid Hasu won in the Nordic Combined gold medal as well as the season of cross-country skiers the silver medal.

In 1951, he won again at the Lahti Ski Games. In Oslo Hasu succeeded at the Olympic Winter Games in 1952, together with Paavo Lonkila, Urpo Korhonen and Tapio Mäkelä in the cross-country relay race his second Olympic gold medal. Since the cross-country competitions were the same as Nordic World Ski Championships, he also became world champion. In individual Nordic Combined, he had to the Norwegians Simon Slåttvik beaten and won the silver medal. A third medal he just missed out in fourth place in the 18 -km cross-country skiing. It was just four seconds behind his compatriot Paavo Lonkila, won the bronze.

In 1953 he became the first Finn to Combination competition at Holmenkollen.

Policy

After his playing career, Hasu engaged in politics and sat from 1962 to 1966 and from 1967 to 1970 for two terms as MP for the Finnish center ( to 1965 Landbund ) in the Finnish Parliament.

Awards

1948 Hasu was first elected Athlete of the Year. In 1950 he was for the second time Sportsman of the Year. After the successful games, he was also honored in 1952 as the first Finn to the Holmenkollen medal.

In Anjalankoski a 5.5 meter tall statue for Hasu was built outside the town hall in 2003. Designed and decorated by the artist this was Juhani Honkanen.