Jonni Myyrä facts for kids
Jonni Myyrä at the 1920 Olympics
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
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| Full name | Joonas Myyrä | ||||||||||
| Nationality |  Finland |
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| Born | 13 July 1892 Savitaipale, Viipuri Province, Grand Duchy of Finland |
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| Died | 22 January 1955 (aged 62) San Francisco, United States |
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| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) | ||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||
| Sport | Javelin throw, discus throw, pentathlon | ||||||||||
| Club | Partakosken Into Savitaipaleen Urheilijat Lahden Ahkera |
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Medal record
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Joonas "Jonni" Myyrä (born July 13, 1892 – died January 22, 1955) was a famous Finnish athlete. He competed in the Olympic Games three times: in 1912, 1920, and 1924. Jonni Myyrä was best known for his skill in the javelin throw, where he won two Olympic gold medals.
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Early Olympic Adventures
Jonni Myyrä first competed in the Olympics in 1912. This was held in Stockholm, Sweden. He took part in the javelin throw event. Myyrä finished in eighth place. This was a good start for the young athlete.
The 1920 Antwerp Olympics
The 1920 Olympics took place in Antwerp, Belgium. Myyrä was ready to compete again. Before the javelin event, he had an accident. Another athlete's javelin accidentally hit his left arm. This caused his arm to break.
Even with a broken arm, Myyrä decided to compete. He showed amazing courage. He threw the javelin an incredible 65.78 meters. This was a new Olympic record! He won the gold medal in the javelin throw. He also competed in the discus throw, finishing 12th. He tried the pentathlon too, but could not finish due to his injury.
Defending His Title in 1924
Four years later, Myyrä went to the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. He was determined to win again. He successfully defended his javelin title. This meant he won his second Olympic gold medal in a row. It was a great achievement for him.
Setting World Records
Jonni Myyrä was not just an Olympic champion. He also set a world record in the javelin throw. On August 24, 1919, in Stockholm, he threw 66.10 meters. This throw was officially recognized as a world record.
He also made other very long throws. Some of these throws were even longer than the official record at the time. For example, he threw 68.55 meters in San Francisco in 1925. However, these throws were not officially recognized as world records for different reasons.
Life After the Olympics
After the 1924 Olympics, Jonni Myyrä faced some challenges. He had money problems in Finland. Because of this, he decided to move to the United States. He settled in San Francisco. He never went back to his home country. Jonni Myyrä passed away in San Francisco in 1955. He is remembered as a true Olympic hero.
