Alfred Asikainen
Finnish wrestler (1888–1942)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alfred Johan "Alpo" Asikainen (2 November 1888 – 7 January 1942) was a Finnish wrestler who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics, winning the bronze medal.[1]
Asikainen (right, in black) and Klein wrestling at the 1912 Olympics | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 2 November 1888 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 7 January 1942 (aged 53) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | Middleweight (67.5–75kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Sporting career
Asikainen won the Greco-Roman middleweight event at the 1911 World Wrestling Championships in Helsinki. It was the only time he finished on the podium at a World Wrestling Championship.[2]
At the 1912 Olympics, Asikainen won against his first four opponents, including the eventual winner Claes Johanson. In the semifinal, he wrestled Estonian Martin Klein,[3] who was forced to represent Russia,[4] for eleven hours and forty minutes (time limits were introduced to wrestling in 1924) on a blisteringly sunny day outdoors in the Stockholm Olympic Stadium. After one hour, a short rest was granted, and then every thirty minutes.[5]
Asikainen lost by pin, and Klein withdrew from the final due to exhaustion, resulting in Johanson winning the gold medal by default.[3] Asikainen was awarded the bronze medal.[4] The bout between Asikainen and Klein remains the longest wrestling match in history.[6]
