Antti Loikkanen
Encyclopedia
Antti Olavi Loikkanen (born April 15, 1955 in Enonkoski
, Southern Savonia
) is a former Finnish
middle distance and endurance runner
. Loikkanen was one of Finland's most successful 800 meter
and 1500 meter
runners in the beginning of the 1980s. His greatest achievements were in indoor athletics competitions.
Loikkanen was the Finnish champion in 800 metres in 1979 and in the 1500 metres in 1980. In indoor competitions, he won the 1500 metres (in 1978), the 800 metres (1981) and the 1500 metres (1985). His best result in outdoor track competitions was a 5th place in the 1500 metres race in the 1978 European Championships in Athletics
in Prague
. In the 1978 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
in Milan
, Loikkanen won gold with a national record time of 3:38.16. He won bronze in the same event at the 1982
and 1983
Championships, was 4th in 1979
and 1984
, and 6th in 1985
. Loikkanen also participated in the Olympic Games
in Montreal 1976
, Moscow 1980
and Los Angeles 1984
and in the 1983 World Championships in Athletics
in Helsinki
.
In 1500 metres Loikkanen ran on June 16, 1980 at Imatra
, Finland
in 3:36.3, which remains a Finnish record. In the 800 metres, Loikkanen's record was 1:47.1, which he ran on June 12, 1979 at Imatra. Loikkanen ran his record in the 3000 metres
on June 21, 1982 in Tampere
. His time, 7:46.87, is the 6th fastest Finnish time for the distance.
After his sports career, Loikkanen has worked as a firefighter
.
Enonkoski
Enonkoski is a municipality of Finland. It is located about north of Savonlinna in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region.-History:...
, Southern Savonia
Southern Savonia
Southern Savonia is a region in the south-east of Finland. It borders to the regions Northern Savonia, North Karelia, South Karelia, Kymenlaakso, Päijänne Tavastia, and Central Finland...
) is a former Finnish
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...
middle distance and endurance runner
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
. Loikkanen was one of Finland's most successful 800 meter
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 1500 meter
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
runners in the beginning of the 1980s. His greatest achievements were in indoor athletics competitions.
Loikkanen was the Finnish champion in 800 metres in 1979 and in the 1500 metres in 1980. In indoor competitions, he won the 1500 metres (in 1978), the 800 metres (1981) and the 1500 metres (1985). His best result in outdoor track competitions was a 5th place in the 1500 metres race in the 1978 European Championships in Athletics
1978 European Championships in Athletics
The 12th European Athletics Championships were held from 29 August to 3 September 1978 in Prague, the capital city of Czechoslovakia.-Track:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |-Field:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |-Track:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |...
in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. In the 1978 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
1978 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 9th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held at Palasport di San Siro in Milan, a city in Italy, in 1978. It was the first time the championships was held in Italy.-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com...
in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Loikkanen won gold with a national record time of 3:38.16. He won bronze in the same event at the 1982
1982 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 13th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held at Palasport di San Siro in Milan, a city in Italy, in 1982. It was the second time the championships were held in Milan.-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com...
and 1983
1983 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 14th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, in 1983.-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com* at GBRathletics.com*...
Championships, was 4th in 1979
1979 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 10th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held in Vienna, the capital city in Austria, in 1979. It was the second time the championships had been held in Vienna.-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com...
and 1984
1984 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 15th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held in Gothenburg, a city in Sweden, in 1984.-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com* at GBRathletics.com*...
, and 6th in 1985
1985 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 16th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, Athens/Piraeus in Greece, in 1985.-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com* at GBRathletics.com*...
. Loikkanen also participated in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Montreal 1976
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, Moscow 1980
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
and Los Angeles 1984
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and in the 1983 World Championships in Athletics
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
.
In 1500 metres Loikkanen ran on June 16, 1980 at Imatra
Imatra
Imatra is a town and municipality in eastern Finland, founded in 1948 around three industrial settlements near the Finnish–Russian border. In the course of the last 50 years, this amorphous group of settlements has grown into a modern industrial town dominated by Lake Saimaa, the Vuoksi River and...
, 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...
in 3:36.3, which remains a Finnish record. In the 800 metres, Loikkanen's record was 1:47.1, which he ran on June 12, 1979 at Imatra. Loikkanen ran his record in the 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
on June 21, 1982 in Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
. His time, 7:46.87, is the 6th fastest Finnish time for the distance.
After his sports career, Loikkanen has worked as a firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
.