Kalle Anttila

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameKaarlo Johan Jalmari "Kalle"•Anttila
Used nameKalle•Anttila
Born30 August 1887 in Muhos, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (FIN)
Died10 October 1949 in Sudbury, Ontario (CAN)
Measurements167 cm / 61-67 kg
NOC Finland
Medals OG
Gold 2
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 2

Biography

Kalle Anttila was accomplished at both forms of international wrestling. He won the 1920 Olympic lightweight championship in freestyle and the 1924 Olympic title in Greco-Roman featherweight. Anttila is one of three wrestlers to have won Olympic gold medals in both styles, the others being Kristjan Palusalu and Ivar Johansson. Anttila also won two World titles, both of those in Greco-Roman featherweight class in 1921-22. At the Finnish championships, Anttila won six titles: in 1918-19 in Greco-Roman featherweight, in 1920 in Greco-Roman middleweight, in 1924 and 1929 in freestyle lightweight and in 1929 in Greco-Roman lightweight.

Anttila emigrated to Canada when he was only 4-years-old, but later represented his birth country as a wrestler. He worked as a farmer in Canada. His son, also named Kalle Anttila, was a successful businessman who founded the Anttila department store chain that now operates over 30 department stores in Finland, Estonia and Latvia.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1920 Summer Olympics Wrestling FIN Kalle Anttila
Lightweight, Freestyle, Men (Olympic) 1 Gold
1924 Summer Olympics Wrestling FIN Kalle Anttila
Featherweight, Greco-Roman, Men (Olympic) 1 Gold

Special Notes