Eeles Landström
Encyclopedia
Eeles Enok Landström (born 3 January 1932 in Viiala
) is a Finnish Olympic medalist and double European Champion in pole vault, a former member of the Finnish parliament and former business executive. He was born in Viiala
, Finland
.
Eeles Landström was the first Finnish participant at the Olympic Academy arranged by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) (Athens
1961).
Landström studied in the United States
at the University of Michigan
and graduated as Bachelor of Science in 1959. He was a two-time Big Ten champion in pole vaulting while at Michigan.
Landström was a member of the Finnish parliament in 1966-1971 and worked also in executive positions, for example as Assistant Director of Finance in the Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1976-1981 and as a member of the Administrative Council of the Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1967-1976. He was granted the Finnish honorary title of sosiaalineuvos in 2008.
Landström participated in the International Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) as a board member
of Finland’s group and as a representative of Finland in the European Broadcasting Union
, nominated by the Finnish Broadcasting Company.
Landström has written two youth novels (1966, 1974) and a biography (2002).
His first novel was awarded as the best Finnish youth novel in 1966.
Landström lived with his family in the United States
from 1954 to 1959 and in Spain
from 1982 to 2007.
Achievements in sports
Olympic bronze medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics
held in Rome
(Italy
) (pole vault
)
Gold in the European Championships in Athletics
in Bern (Germany
) in 1954 and in Stockholm
(Sweden
) in 1958 (The only medal Finland won in these games)
Australian record in pole vault in Bendigo (Australia
) in 1956
Landström improved the European record three times in the years 1955-1956
Landström improved the Finnish record 13 times in the years 1954-1958
He participated as a member of the Finnish team in 30 international competitions, winning 25 games in a row.
He won the Finnish championship eight times in a row in the years 1953-1960.
In 1961, Landström won the Nordic Championship still using a steel pole; the following year 1962 began the era of fiber glass poles.
Eeles Landström carried the flag for the Finnish team in the 1956 Summer Olympics
in Melbourne
and in the 1960 Summer Olympics
in Rome
.
Landström won the Spanish International Senior Amateur Championship in golf
in 1992.
Other on his athletic career:
Said on the Finnish Athletes website:
”In the 1950s, Finnish track and field had introduced talented and skilled pole vaulters.
One of the pole vault legends, Eeles Landström, became a key figure in track and field, and due to the steel pole changing into glass fiber; a lot of young men around the country were tempted to try their skills with the new equipment.
By the beginning of 1960’s, Landström’s European Championships in 1954 and 1958, as well as the Olympic bronze medal in 1960, the pole vault enthusiasm had reached its peak in Finland."
During the last year of his sports career, Landström arranged fiber glass poles to be exported from the United States, and thus Finns were the first in Europe to use the new equipment in pole vault.
Landström was granted the Finnish Pro Urheilu award for his remarkable athletic career in 2008.
Television and theater:
A television documentary was made on Eeles Landström and his life in 1997, directed by Ville-Veikko Salminen. He was also the center figure in a play, which was written and directed by Jorma Kairimo. The premiere of the play ”Eeles – kohti päämäärää” (Eeles - towards the goal) took place in Akaa, Finland, in September 2008.
Viiala
Viiala is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2007, it was consolidated with Toijala to form the town of Akaa.Viiala is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality had a population of 5,329 and covered an area of 56.78 km2 of which...
) is a Finnish Olympic medalist and double European Champion in pole vault, a former member of the Finnish parliament and former business executive. He was born in Viiala
Viiala
Viiala is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2007, it was consolidated with Toijala to form the town of Akaa.Viiala is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality had a population of 5,329 and covered an area of 56.78 km2 of which...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Eeles Landström was the first Finnish participant at the Olympic Academy arranged by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) (Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
1961).
Landström studied in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and graduated as Bachelor of Science in 1959. He was a two-time Big Ten champion in pole vaulting while at Michigan.
Landström was a member of the Finnish parliament in 1966-1971 and worked also in executive positions, for example as Assistant Director of Finance in the Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1976-1981 and as a member of the Administrative Council of the Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1967-1976. He was granted the Finnish honorary title of sosiaalineuvos in 2008.
Landström participated in the International Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) as a board member
of Finland’s group and as a representative of Finland in the European Broadcasting Union
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
, nominated by the Finnish Broadcasting Company.
Landström has written two youth novels (1966, 1974) and a biography (2002).
His first novel was awarded as the best Finnish youth novel in 1966.
Landström lived with his family in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1954 to 1959 and in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
from 1982 to 2007.
Achievements in sports
Olympic bronze medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
held in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) (pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
)
Gold in the European Championships in Athletics
European Championships in Athletics
The European Athletics Championships is an event organized by the European Athletic Association. It is organised every four years, the same year as the Commonwealth Games and between the Summer Olympic Games cycle. After the 2010 Championships in Barcelona, the European Championships will take...
in Bern (Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) in 1954 and in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) in 1958 (The only medal Finland won in these games)
Australian record in pole vault in Bendigo (Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) in 1956
Landström improved the European record three times in the years 1955-1956
Landström improved the Finnish record 13 times in the years 1954-1958
He participated as a member of the Finnish team in 30 international competitions, winning 25 games in a row.
He won the Finnish championship eight times in a row in the years 1953-1960.
In 1961, Landström won the Nordic Championship still using a steel pole; the following year 1962 began the era of fiber glass poles.
Eeles Landström carried the flag for the Finnish team in the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and in the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Landström won the Spanish International Senior Amateur Championship in golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
in 1992.
Other on his athletic career:
Said on the Finnish Athletes website:
”In the 1950s, Finnish track and field had introduced talented and skilled pole vaulters.
One of the pole vault legends, Eeles Landström, became a key figure in track and field, and due to the steel pole changing into glass fiber; a lot of young men around the country were tempted to try their skills with the new equipment.
By the beginning of 1960’s, Landström’s European Championships in 1954 and 1958, as well as the Olympic bronze medal in 1960, the pole vault enthusiasm had reached its peak in Finland."
During the last year of his sports career, Landström arranged fiber glass poles to be exported from the United States, and thus Finns were the first in Europe to use the new equipment in pole vault.
Landström was granted the Finnish Pro Urheilu award for his remarkable athletic career in 2008.
Television and theater:
A television documentary was made on Eeles Landström and his life in 1997, directed by Ville-Veikko Salminen. He was also the center figure in a play, which was written and directed by Jorma Kairimo. The premiere of the play ”Eeles – kohti päämäärää” (Eeles - towards the goal) took place in Akaa, Finland, in September 2008.