Vilho Ilmari YLÖNEN

Sergeant Vilho Ylönen débuted at the Olympic Games in the winter of 1948, when he took part in the military ski patrol demonstration event and finished second with the Finnish team. Although a decent skier, who regularly competed in biathlon, Ylönen found his fame in sport shooting. As a sport shooter, Ylönen competed at four consecutive Olympics, starting in 1952 and won the small-bore rifle, three positions silver in 1952 and free rifle, three positions bronze in 1956.

Ylönen won four shooting World titles, as follows: 1952 free rifle, kneeling; 1958 free rifle, three positions; 1958 small-bore rifle, kneeling; and 1949 small-bore rifle, three positions team. He also won four World Championship silvers, one in 1952, and three in 1958; and six World Championship bronzes – three in 1954, two in 1958 and one in 1962. At the European Championships, Ylönen was less successful, winning only one title (free rifle, prone in 1955), but adding six silvers and two bronzes. Ylönen was also a three-time Nordic champion and 44 times a Finnish champion.

By profession, Ylönen was a career soldier, serving as a non-commissioned officer at the Finnish Air Force base in Tikkakoski. After retiring from the Air Force, Ylönen worked as a factory representative with Tikkakoski Arms Factory.