Paavo Kotila
Paavo Edvart Kotila ( born August 26, 1927 in Veteli; † January 26, 2014 in Oulu, Finland) was a Finnish athlete who until then fastest time ran on a regular marathon distance at the Finnish Championships in the marathon in 1956.
Career
Kotila occurred in his hometown Veteli at the club Vetelin Urheilijat. His brother Uljas, who ran a marathon best of about 2:40 hours, was a member of this club. Kotilas career started relatively late. Two days before his 25th birthday in 1952 he ran his personal best over 10 000 meters ( 31:06,2 minutes). In his real passion, the marathon, it should come in the next few years to a few successes. In 1955 he won the silver medal in the marathon at the Nordic Championships. On August 12, 1956, he started at the Finnish Championships in Pieksämäki. Eino Oksanen With he had a tough competitor in the race, in the end succeeded Kotila but it abzuschüttlen and to win the competition in 2:18:04,8 hours. This time meant a new world record - World Records have not been recognized before 2003 - at the marathon distance, up to the European Championships 1958 in Stockholm, as Sergei Popov undercutting the fastest time over two years by almost three minutes should endure. As a Finnish Champion so he took on December 1, 1956 in Melbourne at the Olympic Games in part. When local marathon but Kotila was about 20 minutes slower than in Pieksämäki and was 13 this he won the following year, the title at the Nordic Championships and 1959 could complete his collection of medals at these championships with bronze.
Kotila also participated in several international, high-profile marathons. His biggest success in most forms of winning the Boston Marathon in 1960. During Kosice Marathon he won silver (1955) and bronze ( 1957). He was also in the marathons of Athens in 1957 and Asahi 1957 and 1960 each second.
Even at an advanced age remained Kotila the marathon loyal and won several Finnish and European Champion title at the veterans. In 1983, he finished with 55 years of the Boston Marathon in a time of 2:36:42 hours.
Achievements
- Unofficial world record in the marathon in 1956
- Boston Marathon winner 1960
- Finnish Champion in the marathon in 1956 and 1961