Paavo Yrjölä

Paavo Ilmari Yrjölä (born June 18, 1902 in Hämeenkyrö – died February 11, 1980 ibid.), who was also known as the "Bear of Hämeenkyrö" ("Hämeenkyrön karhu"), was a Finnish track athlete who won the gold medal in the decathlon at the the Olympics in 1928.

In the 1928 Olympics, he had to rerun the 100 m hurdles as the fourth hurdle was placed incorrectly in the first run. Finland took the top two spots in the decathlon that year with Yrjölä taking the gold and Akilles Järvinen the silver.

In his years of competing, Yrjölä set three world records: 6460 points in 1926 (7,832 according to the old point system), 6,586 in 1927 (8,053) and 6,587 in 1928 (8,053).

Athletics was a family affair as his brother, Iivari Yrjölä, also competed in the decathlon and his son, Matti Yrjölä, was a successful shotputter.

Major achievements

* Ninth in the decathlon at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris (5,547 points)
* A gold medal in the decathlon at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam (6,587 points)
* Sixth in the decathlon at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles (6,385 points)
* Ninth in the shot put at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam
* Finnish Champion in 1925, 1926 and 1927

Records

* 100 m: 11.6 s
* long jump: 676
* shot put: 14.72 (1930)
* high jump: 187 (1924)
* 400 m: 51.9
* 110 m hurdles: 15.5
* discus throw: 43.26
* pole vault: 330
* javelin: 62.15
* 1500 m: 4.26:8
* decathlon: 6,700 points (prev. 8,117) in 1930
* pentathlon: 3532 points