Juha "the cruel" Väätainen

A friend recently sent me links to two videos on YouTube from the 1971 European Championships. I should admit that in 1971, I was only dimly aware of track and field. For that matter, I was only dimly aware that there was a place called "Europe." A year later everything would change for me, as I entered high school and had the profound experience of watching the 1972 Munich Olympics -- Ryun, Prefontaine, Wottle, Shorter -- and of course the kidnap and massacre of the Israeli athletes.

Anyway, in 1971, I wasn't paying much attention to track and field, and I certainly would not have been able to tell you anything about a Finnish distance runner named Juha Väätainen -- a man who was called "the cruel" for his pitiless last lap kicks.

Now, thanks to the miracle of the Internet, I can go back to that time and see what all the excitement was about. In that year's European Championships (considered the most prestigious meet of the year) Väätainen won both the 5000 and 10000 meters. The following year he would be injured, and would have to watch as his countryman Viren duplicated that feat in the Olympics. After 1971, Väätainen would never again regain his dominance. I have to think that fear of his kick caused many, including Viren and David Bedford, to alter their approach to the long races, and to conclude -correctly -- that they had to run much faster much earlier to escape that kick.

From a historical note, it was really Väätainen, not Viren, who signalled the resurgence of Finnish distance running. (You can see Viren finishing 7th in the 5000m in the first video.) When you watch these videos, you can hear the Finnish crowd go berserk. These races took place in Helsinki, and the home crowd was deliriously happy with the result.

1971 European Championship - Last lap of Men's 5000m

1971 European Championship - Men's 10000m