Reino Kangasmäki
Reino Kalervo Kangasmäki ( born July 2, 1916 in Kokkola, Keski- Ostrobothnia; † 26 September 2010 in Vaasa, Ostrobothnia ) was a Finnish wrestler. He won at the Olympics in London in 1948 a bronze medal in Greco-Roman Flyweight
Career
Reino Kangasmäki began as a teenager in his hometown Kokkola with the rings. He was especially a member of the sports club Kokkolan Jymyä. Later he joined the Sports Club Vasaan Tovenit. Both clubs were members of the Finnish Sports Federation TUL workers. There were close cooperation between the sport association and the general Finnish Sports Federation, so that the athletes of the TUL - association could also start at the championships of the general sports associations.
Reino Kangasmäki also took advantage of that and so it was that he finished 3rd in 1943 at the Finnish Sports Federation TUL Championships bantamweight in the Greco-Roman style, reaching the same seat at the championships of the general Finnish Ringer Association. These were the first medals he won at the Finnish Championships, he was there already 27 years old. In 1945 he was at the Finnish Championships of the Association TUL bantamweight champion again third. In 1947, he was generally Finnish Finnish Wrestling Federation vice-champion at flyweight and 1948, he succeeded in Sports Federation TUL flyweight title at the only Finnish Championship. The fact that he has not yet achieved greater success at the national level, was due to the exceptionally strong competition, which he had in his country. Let it only mentioned the following names: Väinö Perttunen, Kauko Kiisseli and Lennart Viitala.
In 1948 he was nominated by the Finnish National Olympic Committee of the Olympic Games in London. He started there in the Greco-Roman flyweight. His first fight he won over Malte Möller from Sweden and his second against Edmond Faure from France. Then he lost two fights, against Pietro Lombardi of Italy, later to Olympic champions, and against Gyula Szilágyi from Hungary. With these results, he came to 3rd place and thus won an Olympic bronze medal. This competition was the only international championship, participated in the Reino Kangasmäki.
Reino Kangasmäki died in 2010 at the age of 94 years.
International success
Finnish Championships
Notes
- All competitions in Greco-Roman wrestling
- OS = Olympic Games
- Flyweight, then to 52 kg Bantam weight to 56 kg body weight