Antero OJALA

The 1936 Winter Olympics were the high point of Antero Ojala's career, where he won a surprising bronze medal in the 5,000 behind Norway's Ivar Ballangrud and teammate Birger Wasenius. At the start of his career, Ojala was also a cyclist, winning the Nordic Championships silver in the kilometre time trial in 1934 and Finnish Championships silvers in the 50 km road race in 1933 and the kilometre time trial in 1935. But after his bronze medal at the 1936 Olympics he decided to concentrate only on skating. As a skater Ojala made his international début at the 1934 World All-around Championships and before the Olympics he also participated in both the 1935 European and 1936 World All-around Championships, his best places being 12th in all-around in 1936 and seventh in the 500 in 1934. At the Olympics, Ojala was eighth in the 500, before winning a surprise bronze in the 5,000 the next day. He was also ninth in the 1,500 and seventh in the 10,000. After the Olympics Ojala took part in every World All-around Championships contested until World War II and his best placements were fifth in the 1937 all-around and fourth at 1,500 in 1939. Ojala continued to skate during World War II and in 1948 he competed in his second Olympics, where his best placement was 12th in the 1,500. In 1951 he also won a bronze at the Nordic Championships in all-around. Domestically Ojala won four Finnish distance titles – in 1937 in the 500 and 10K and in the 1,500 in 1943 and 1951.

Personal Bests: 500 – 43.8 (1948); 1500 – 2:21.4 (1948); 5000 – 8:30.1 (1936); 10000 – 17:45.1 (1937).