Aleksi Kirjonen (born 29 May 1993) is a Paralympian athlete from Finland competing mainly in category F56 throwing events.[1]

Aleksi Kirjonen
Kirjonen at the 2013 World Championships
Personal information
NationalityFinnish
Born (1993-05-29) 29 May 1993 (age 31)
Sport
CountryFinland
SportAthletics
Eventshot put
ClubEspoon Tapiot
Coached byMarkku Niinimaki
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals2012
Medal record
Track and field (athletics)
Representing  Finland
IPC World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Lyon Shot put – F56–57
IPC European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Swansea Javelin – F56
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Stadskanaal Javelin – F55–56
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Swansea shot put – F57
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Grosseto Shot put – F57

Career

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Kirjonen was born in 1993. Disabled since birth, he has no function in both his legs.[1] He took up athletics while still in secondary education. In 2011 he travelled to Dubai to compete in the World Junior Championships for Wheelchair Athletes. There he won both the men's shot put and javelin events.[2]

In July 2012 he travelled to Staddskanaal to represent Finland in the IPC Athletics European Championships. There he collected the bronze medal in the men's F55/56 javelin throw.[3] He followed this by being selected to represent Finland at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, again in both his favoured throwing events. In the shot put, a joint F55/56 event, his best throw in the first round of 11.89m only gave him enough points to finish 11th, denying him the chance to progress to the final round. In the javelin Kirjonen threw 26.36 in his first throw, but fouled his remaining two attempts leaving him outside the top eight after the first round.

The following year he was back on the podium when he competed in the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon. He competed in a joint F55/56 shot put finishing third to take the bronze medal.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Kirjonen, Aleksi". ipc.infostradasports.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  2. ^ "Aleksi Kirjonen voitti jo toisen maailmanmestaruuden" (in Finnish). yleisurheilu.fi. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Medallists by Event" (PDF). IPC Athletics. ipcat.msl.es. Archived from the original (pdf) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  4. ^ "2013 IPC Athletics World Championships Lyon: Official Results Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
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