Eero Antero Mäntyranta (20 November 1937 - 29 December 2013) was one of the most successful Finnish skiers. He competed in four Winter Olympics (1960-1972) winning seven medals at three of them. His performance at the 1964 Winter Olympics earned him the nickname "Mister Seefeld", referring to the venue where the cross-country skiing and biathlon competitions took place. The Finnish Ministry of Education endowed him with the Pro Urheilu letter of recognition in 2000. There is also a museum centered on Mäntyranta in his birthplace of Pello.
Video Eero Mäntyranta
Genetics and doping
Mäntyranta had primary familial and congenital polycythemia (PFCP) causing an increase in red blood cell mass and hemoglobin due to a mutation in the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) gene, which was identified following a DNA study done on over 200 members of his family, as reported in 1993. This condition results in an increase of up to 50% in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood, a large advantage when participating in endurance events.
In 1972 Mäntyranta was the first Finnish sportsman who tested positive for doping. He later admitted taking hormones, which was not prohibited in those years.
Maps Eero Mäntyranta
Accomplishments
- three Olympic gold medals: Squaw Valley 1960 (4×10 km relay) and Innsbruck 1964 (15 km and 30 km)
- two Olympic silver medals: Innsbruck 1964 (relay) and Grenoble 1968 (15 km)
- two Olympic bronze medals: Grenoble 1968 (30 km and relay)
- two World Championships gold medals: Zakopane 1962 (30 km) and Oslo 1966 (30 km), two silver: 1962 (relay) and 1966 (relay), one bronze: 1966 (50 km)
- National domestic championships: five gold, two silver and two bronze
- Holmenkollen ski festival championships first place 1962, 1964 and 1968 (15 km)
- Holmenkollen medal in 1964 (Shared with Veikko Kankkonen, Georg Thoma, and Halvor Næs.).
- Salpausselkä games win 1964 and 1972.
Mäntyranta also finished 19th in the 30 km event at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo.
See also
- Athletes of Finland
- Olympic Athletes of Finland
References
External links
Media related to Eero Mäntyranta at Wikimedia Commons
- Eero Mäntyranta at the International Ski Federation
- Holmenkollen medalists - click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file (in Norwegian)
- Holmenkollen winners since 1892 - click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file (in Norwegian)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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