Juha Väätäinen
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Juha Väätäinen | |
| Full name | Toivo Juha Väätäinen | |
| Nickname(s) | Juha the Cruel Julma-Juha in Finnish | |
| Nationality | Finnish | |
| Date of birth | 12 July 1941 | |
| Place of birth | Oulu, Finland | |
| Residence | Helsinki, Finland | |
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 71⁄2 in) | |
| Weight | 60 kg (130 lb; 9.4 st) | |
| Website | www.juhavaatainen.info | |
| Sport | ||
| Country |  Finland | |
| Sport | Running | |
| Event(s) | Long-distance | |
| Club | Haapaveden Urheilijat 1958-67 Oulun NMKY:n Urheilijat 1968-72 | |
| Coached by | Paavo Meskus 1963-68 | |
| Retired | 1972 | |
| Achievements and titles | ||
| Regional finals | 1971: 5000 m 1st 1971 : 10,000 m 1st | |
| Olympics | 1972: 5000 m 13th | |
| Highest world ranking | 5000 m: 1st (1971) 10,000 m: 1st (1971) | |
| Personal best(s) | 200 m: 22.1 (1967) 400 m: 48.9 (1967) 800 m: 1:48.4 (1967) 1500 m: 3:43.7 (1968) Mile: 4:04.6 (1966) 3000 m: 7:53.4 (1972) 2 Miles: 8:33.0 (1971) 5000 m: 13:28.4 (1972) 10,000 m: 27:52.78 (1971) | |
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Juha Väätäinen (born July 12, 1941 in Oulu[1][2][3][4]) is a former Finnish athlete. He is the winner of the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter gold medals at the 1971 European ChampionshipsHelsinki. He was the eldest of the successful Finnish runners Lasse Virén, Pekka Vasala, Tapio Kantanen, Martti Vainio, and Kaarlo Maaninka who came into the limelight in the 1970s. held in
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[edit] Athletics career
[edit] Early career 1960-68
Väätäinen started his running career as a sprinter. He won his first Junior Finnish Championship in 400 metres hurdles in 1960[2]. In 1965-1967 his main event was 800 metres, in which he won Nordic Championship in 1965, beating, for example, young Anders Gärderud[5].
Väätäinen was coached by Paavo Meskus from 1963 until Meskus death in 1968. However, Väätäinen was pretty independent and planned his training mostly by himself.[6] He was also interested about the altitude training as early as in the winter of 1966-67 when he spent seven months in Alamosa as a student[7].
In the summer of 1968 Väätäinen trained five weeks in Rhodes and on his return to Finland he ran 3000 metres in Helsinki in 8:01.0, improving his personal best by 52 seconds. The competition was won by 3000 metres steeplechase World record holder Jouko Kuha with the new Finnish record 7:56.6. After the season 1968 Väätäinen decided to focus on the long-distance running.[1][4]
[edit] Move to long-distances 1969-70
In 1969 Väätäinen practiced altitude training for the second time in Cervinia[2]. He ran 10,000 metres in 28:53.0 and 5000 metres in 13:50.0 and was selected to the European ChampionshipsAthens. However, he was not able to compete because of the infection he received from the drug injection due to his weak blood test results[8][9]. in
In December 1969 Väätäinen stayed in Frankfurt on his trip to São Paulo. His foot slipped on the snowy road and Achilles tendon was injured. Anyway, he finished Saint Silvester Road RaceBrazil after the race, he decided to stay in Penedo, Itatiaia. Because of the injury, his training was reduced until March 1970. However, in April 1970 he ran 1100 km.[8] being 26th. As his original intention was to continue training in
In 1970 Väätäinen improved his personal bests: 5000 metres in 13:43.2 and 10,000 metres in 28:19.6. After the season, the injured Achilles tendon was operated[10].
[edit] European Championships in Helsinki 1971
In the winter of 1970-71 Väätäinen trained again in Brazil. He was 10th at the Saint Silvester Road Race. In Penedo he ran over 1000 km per month. In the late March he flew to Mexico Cityaltitude training. In Mexico he ran 350 km per week at his height[8]. In May he continued to California where he improved his 2 mile Finnish record to 8:33.0. After his return to Europe, Väätäinen continued altitude training in Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via.[10] for
After his return to Finland Väätäinen set new Finnish records in 3000 metres (7:56.4) in July 20, Helsinki; and in 10,000 metres (28:12.8) at the Finnish Championships in July 23, Oulu.[4]
The European Championships 10,000 meters final was held on August 10. The race is regarded by many as one of the greatest distance races of all time. In front of a highly excited Finnish crowd Väätäinen was in a group of six runners at the final bell following David Bedford, who had led from the start. Väätäinen and Jürgen Haase both kicked past Bedford in a thrilling last lap "burn-up" bringing the crowd to its feet as they battled neck and neck to the line with Väätainen just edging out Haase in the new Finnish record time 27:52.78. Väätäinen ran last 400 metres in 53.8 seconds[4].
The 5000 metres final was held four days later. Väätäinen won this event as well, beating Jean Wadoux and Harald Norpoth in the new Finnish record 13:32.8. This race also came down to a fast last lap, with Väätäinen's blazing the last 400 meters in 53.0 seconds[4].
In the Track & Field News annual world ranking Väätäinen was ranked first both at 5000 and 10,000 metres.
[edit] Olympics 1972
In winter of 1971-72 Väätäinen trained at high altitude in Nairobi. In summer 1972 he suffered from Sciatica. At the Olympics in Munich he qualified for the 5000 meters final, but disappointed with a 13th place finish. However, only three days later in Rome Väätäinen improved his personal best at 5000 metres to 13:28.4. On the following day he ran 13:35.4 in Helsinki, placing third in the same race that Lasse Virén set a new World record 13:16.4. Väätäinen ended his athletics career after the season, attempting to come back in 1974 but unsuccessfully.[4]
[edit] Professional career
By his education Väätäinen is a primary school teacher. However, he has not worked in the profession after the 1960's. During the years, Väätäinen has worked as a coach, being especially successful in the field racewalking. He has coached, for example, Reima Salonen and Sari Essayah. Väätäinen served as a head coach of long-distance runners at the Finnish Athletics Association in 1988-90. In the 2000's Väätäinen has worked as a painter.[1][3] In 2007 he was a candidate at the Finnish parliamentary election but was not elected.
[edit] Trivia
Väätäinen was nicknamed as "Julma-Juha", which can be translated as "Juha the Cruel". The name probably originates from the year 1965 when he represented Finland in 800 metres at the Finland-Sweden athletics international together with Pekka Juutilainen and Keijo Ceder. These two runners were coached by Rolf Haikkola. Therefore, the training group was called as "Raaka-Rollen Kopla" (The gang of Rolle the Brutal) and each runner had a nickname. Pekka Juutilainen was called as "Parta-Pekka" (Pekka the Beard) and Keijo Ceder as "Karski-Keijo" (Keijo the Rugged). Consequently, Väätäinen was nicknamed as "Julma-Juha".[11]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Salo, Urho (1993). Kilpakenttien sankarit 3. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Tammi. pp. 116–119. ISBN 951-30-8902-9.
- ^ a b c Väätäinen, Juha; Aalto, Eeli (1972). Kierros vielä. Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä. pp. 192–194. ISBN 951-26-0171-0.
- ^ a b "Henkilökuva (Personal profile)". Home pages of Juha Väätäinen. http://www.juhavaatainen.info/henkilokuva. Retrieved 2009-10-03.
- ^ a b c d e f Hannus, Matti (1999). Kultaiset kentät, Suomen yleisurheilun vuosisata. Juva: Werner Soderström Osakeyhtiö. pp. 172–180. ISBN 951-0-23703-5.
- ^ Hannus, Matti (1999). Kultaiset kentät, Suomen yleisurheilun vuosisata. Juva: Werner Soderström Osakeyhtiö. pp. 106–108. ISBN 951-0-23703-5.
- ^ Väätäinen, Juha; Aalto, Eeli (1972). Kierros vielä. Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä. pp. 67–70. ISBN 951-26-0171-0.
- ^ Väätäinen, Juha; Aalto, Eeli (1972). Kierros vielä. Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä. pp. 172–175. ISBN 951-26-0171-0.
- ^ a b c Väätäinen, Juha; Aalto, Eeli (1972). Kierros vielä. Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä. pp. 87–102. ISBN 951-26-0171-0.
- ^ Väätäinen, Juha; Aalto, Eeli (1972). Kierros vielä. Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä. pp. 181–189. ISBN 951-26-0171-0.
- ^ a b Väätäinen, Juha; Aalto, Eeli (1972). Kierros vielä. Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä. pp. 103–113. ISBN 951-26-0171-0.
- ^ Väätäinen, Juha; Aalto, Eeli (1972). Kierros vielä. Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä. pp. 71–78. ISBN 951-26-0171-0.
[edit] External links
- Tilastopaja profile for Juha Väätäinen (in Finnish)
- Track & Field News Men's World Rankings, 1947-2002
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kalevi Oikarainen | Finnish Sportspersonality of the year 1971 | Succeeded by Lasse Virén |
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