FINNISH ATHLETICS: FLYING AND THROWING

Finnish Glory

In the words of Britain’s double Olympic 1500m champion Sebastian Coe - "Many western nations have their strong athletic traditions. France and Belgium have had their long distance men, Italy her sprinters, Great Britain her middle distance record breakers. All have their idols, their occasional and ecstatically received gold medals, and their frequent but vain attempts down the field. None, though, with all their human resources, has the sheer will to win that characterizes Finland.”