Mikko Tapio Latvala (born 8 July 1980 in Vaasa) is a Finnish pole vaulter.[1] He won a silver medal for his category at the 2001 European Athletics Under-23 Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands, with his best possible height of 5.50 metres. In 2007, Latvala suffered from multiple serious injuries, including a torn chest muscle as a result of a weightlifting accident in South Africa.[2]
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mikko Tapio Latvala |
| Nationality |  Finland |
| Born | 8 July 1980 Vaasa, Finland |
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 82 kg (181 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Pole vault |
| Club | Haapajärven Kiilat (FIN) |
| Coached by | Toni Latvala |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | Pole vault: 5.66 m (2001) |
Latvala qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, by successfully clearing a B-standard height of 5.63 metres from the Finnish Elite Games series in Lapua.[2] He placed twenty-second in the first round of men's pole vault, with a best possible height of 5.45 metres, tying his overall position with Ukraine's Oleksandr Korchmid.[3]
Latvala is also a full-time member of Haapajärven Kiilat, a local track and field club in Haapajärvi, and is coached and trained by his brother Toni.
References
edit- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Mikko Latvala". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ^ a b Sonninen, Antti-Pekka (9 June 2008). "Latvala's 5.63m pole vault highlights Lapua Elite Games". IAAF. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
- ^ "Men's Pole Vault Qualification". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
External links
edit- Mikko Latvala at World Athletics
- Profile – Suomen Olympiakomitea (in Finnish)
- NBC 2008 Olympics profile
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