"THE FLYING FINN" and WORLD STAR: VALENTIN KONONEN from FINLAND(SUOMI-FINLAND)

Valentin Kononen

Medal record
Valentin Kononen
Men's Athletics
Competitor for Finland
World Championships
Gold	1995 Gothenburg	50 km walk
Silver	1993 Stuttgart	50 km walk
European Championships
Silver	1998 Budapest	50 km walk

Valentin Kononen (born March 7, 1969 in Helsinki) is a former Finnish race walker. His competitive accomplishments include winning several medals in major competitions, which ranks him as one of the top Finnish performer in his sport.

Kononen's most notable achievement was winning a gold medal in the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg. He also won silver medals in the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart and the 1998 European Championships in Budapest.

[edit] Fastest 50km race results

• 3.39.34 (1) Dudince March 26, 2000
• 3.41.09 (3) Podebrady April 20, 1997 (World Race Walking Cup)
• 3.42.02 (2) Stuttgart August 21, 1993 (World Championships)
• 3.42.50 (3) Beijing April 30, 1995
• 3.43.42 (1) Gothenburg August 11, 1995
• 3.44.28 (2) Budapest August 21, 1998 (European Championships)
• 3.45.19 (2) Naumburg April 28, 1996
• 3.47.14 (7) Helsinki August 13, 1994 (European Championships)
• 3.47.40 (7) Atlanta August 2, 1996 (Olympic Games)
• 3.48.50 (9) Dudince April 25, 1998

[edit] Achievements

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Notes
Representing Finland
1992	Olympic Games	Barcelona, Spain	7th	50 km
1993	World Race Walking Cup	Monterrey, Mexico	6th	50 km
1995	World Race Walking Cup	Beijing, PR China	3rd	50 km
2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	DSQ	50 km

[edit] References

• IAAF profile for Valentin Kononen

[hide] v • d • e World Champions in Men's 50 km Walk
1976: Veniamin Soldatenko (URS) • 1983: Ronald Weigel (GDR) • 1987: Hartwig GauderAleksandr Potashov (URS) • 1993: Jesús Ángel García (ESP) • 1995: Valentin Kononen (FIN) • 1997: Robert Korzeniowski (POL) • 1999: Ivano Brugnetti (ITA) • 2001: Robert Korzeniowski (POL) • 2003: Robert Korzeniowski (POL) • 2005: Sergey Kirdyapkin (RUS) • 2007: Nathan Deakes (AUS) • 2009: Sergey Kirdyapkin (GDR) • 1991: (RUS)