Kari Rahkamo

Triple jumper Kari Rahkamo’s first major international tournament was the 1954 European Championships, where he placed sixth. Two years later he was selected to represent Finland at the Melbourne Olympics, where he placed 14th, and he went on to take bronze at the 1957 World University Games. He was sixth again at the 1958 European Championships and seventh at the 1959 Summer Universiade, before coming in eight at the 1960 Rome Olympics. After winning the 1961 Nordic Championships, he came in 11th at the 1962 Europeans and then retired from active competition. Domestically, he improved the Finnish national record six times.

Rahkamo served as chairman of his club, Helsingin Kisa-Veikot, from 1963 through 1966, and soon became involved in politics as a member of the Communist Party. He served on the Helsinki City Council from 1965 through 1991, at which point he became mayor and served in that capacity through 1996. By career, he had a master’s degree in engineering and worked as a construction manager. He also served as the chairman of the Finnish Chess Federation from 1998 through 2003. His daughter, Susanna, represented Finland in figure skating at the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics.

Personal Best: TJ – 16.40 (1960).