Olavi Rinteenpää

Track and field athlete Olavi Rinteenpää specialized in the 3,000 metres steeplechase, and the peak of his career arrived in the first half of the 1950s. He first represented Finland at a major international tournament at his native 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where he finished just off the podium in fourth. In 1953 he set an unofficial record in his specialty event and continued his successful streak at the 1954 European Championships, where he took silver behind Sándor Rozsnyói of Hungary. Rozsnyói had his revenge at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, however, where he captured silver, while Rinteenpää was eliminated in the opening round. Rinteenpää’s last major meet was the 1958 European Championships, where he came in ninth. He retired from active competition shortly after this tournament.

Personal Best: 3000S – 8:44.4 (1953).