Verner Laaksonen

Verner Laaksonen was a Finnish long-distance runner who represented Helsingin Jyry in Helsinki. Laaksonen ran in the 25,000 metres race at the 1925 Workers’ Summer Olympiad in Germany where he won the silver medal. At the 1928 Finnish Olympic marathon trial an oddity occurred in the race when three runners, Laaksonen, Eino Rastas, and Ilmari Kuokka, purposely tied for 2nd by crossing the line together in 2-40:40 to ensure their collective participation at Amsterdam. At the marathon race at the Amsterdam Games he went on to finish in 12th place. A year later at the Finnish athletics championships Laaksonen won silver in the 25,000 metres.

Personal Best: Mar – 2-35:21 (1927).