Viljo Leskinen
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Viljo Armas Antero•Leskinen |
| Used name | Viljo•Leskinen |
| Born | 16 December 1909 in Toholampi, Keski-Pohjanmaa (FIN) |
| Died | 16 November 1945 in Helsinki, Uusimaa (FIN) |
| NOC |  Finland |
Biography
Viljo Leskinen competed in small-bore rifle shooting at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He had much more success at the World Championships. Leskinen won 12 medals at the Worlds, with five gold medals, five silvers, and two bronzes, from 1931-37. His big year was 1937 when he won eight medals at the Worlds, with two golds, four silvers, and two bronze medals. Many of those World medals were in team events, but he did win individual silver medals in 1937 in small-bore rifle, 3 positions and standing.
Leskinen’s brother, Kallervo Leskinen, was also a shooter who competed at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics. Viljo was not around for those Olympics, as on 16 November 1945 he got into a dispute over a woman, and shot and killed the woman, Sylvia Savolainen, then turning the gun on himself, committing suicide.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 Summer Olympics | Shooting | FIN |
Viljo Leskinen | |||
| Small-Bore Rifle, Prone, 50 metres, Men (Olympic) | =15 |
Olympic family relations
- Brother of Kullervo Leskinen
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Committed Suicide (In a dispute, killed a woman named Sylvia Savolainen and then turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide.)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Shooting Championships (5–5–2 1931 Lwów gold: 50 m small-bore rifle standing team; 1933 Granada gold: 50 m small-bore rifle kneeling team and 50 m small-bore rifle standing team, silver: 50 m small-bore rifle prone team; 1937 Helsinki gold: 300 m military rifle prone team and 300 m military rifle standing team, silver: 50 m small-bore rifle 3 positions, 50 m small-bore rifle standing, 300 m military rifle 3 positions team, and 50 m small-bore rifle prone team, bronze: 300 m military rifle kneeling team and 50 m small-bore rifle standing team)