Harry Edvin "Harri" Larva (born Lagerström, 9 September 1906 – 15 November 1980) was a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

athlete who won the

1500 m The 1500 metres or 1,500-metre run (typically pronounced 'fifteen-hundred metres') is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athle ...

race at the 1928 Summer Olympics. He never excelled in this event nationally and was the Finnish champion in the 800 m in 1928–1930 and 1934. Larva finished 10th in the 1500 m at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Larva was requested to change his last name in 1928 by

Urho Kekkonen Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (; 3 September 1900 – 31 August 1986), often referred to by his initials UKK, was a Finnish politician who served as the eighth and longest-serving president of Finland from 1956 to 1982. He also served as prime minister ...

, then president of Finnish Athletics Union and later president of Finland, who thought that his birth name Lagerström did not sound Finnish enough.

References

* 1906 births 1980 deaths Sportspeople from Turku Finnish male middle-distance runners Olympic athletes for Finland Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1932 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for Finland Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) {{Finland-athletics-bio-stub