Harri Larva

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Harri Larva, 1928

Harri Larva (actually: Harry Edvin Lagerström ; born September 9, 1906 in Turku ; † November 15, 1980 ibid) was a Finnish middle-distance runner and Olympic champion .

In 1927 he won the bronze medal at the Finnish championships over 1500 meters . In 1928 Larva was urged by the nationalist Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , the President of the Finnish Athletics Federation and later President of Finland, to change his original surname Lagerström to Larva, as it did not sound Finnish. The change from Swedish surnames to Finnish was common at the time.

At the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928 , he won the gold medal over 1500 meters in front of the French Jules Ladoumègue and the Finn Eino Purje . At the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932 , he also took part in this discipline and was ninth.

1928 was probably his best year in sport, although he was the Finnish champion in the 800-meter run from 1928 to 1930 and 1934 .

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personal data
SURNAME Larva, Harri
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lagerström, Harry Edvin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Finnish middle distance runner
DATE OF BIRTH September 9, 1906
PLACE OF BIRTH Turku
DATE OF DEATH November 15, 1980
Place of death Turku