Veli Lehtelä
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Veli Veikko Valtteri•Lehtelä |
| Used name | Veli•Lehtelä |
| Nick/petnames | Vesse |
| Born | 6 September 1935 in Sääksmäki, Valkeakoski, Pirkanmaa (FIN) |
| Died | 3 June 2020 in Valkeakoski, Pirkanmaa (FIN) |
| Measurements | 183 cm / 74-76 kg |
| NOC |  Finland |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 0 |
| Silver | 0 |
| Bronze | 2 |
| Total | 2 |
Biography
Veli Lehtelä competed at three Olympic Games, winning bronze medals in the four in 1956 and the pair in 1960. He was best known for his partnership in the pair with Toimi Pitkänen. Together they won a silver medal in the pair at the 1955 European Championships, but they improved to gold medals at the Europeans in 1956 and 1958, in addition to their 1960 bronze medal.
Lehtelä only started rowing at age 18, as he first skied, wrestled, and played football. His son, Jorma Lehtelä also became a rower, competing at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 Summer Olympics | Rowing | FIN |
Veli Lehtelä | |||
| Coxless Fours, Men (Olympic) | Finland | 2 h2 r2/4 | ||||
| Coxed Fours, Men (Olympic) | Finland | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 1960 Summer Olympics | Rowing | FIN |
Veli Lehtelä | |||
| Coxless Pairs, Men (Olympic) | Toimi Pitkänen | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 1964 Summer Olympics | Rowing | FIN |
Veli Lehtelä | |||
| Coxless Pairs, Men (Olympic) | Toimi Pitkänen | 6 |
Olympic family relations
- Father of Jorma Lehtelä