ATHLETE
Pekka Vasala
1948 - Today

Pekka Vasala
Pekka Antero Vasala (born 17 April 1948) is a retired Finnish middle-distance athlete who won an Olympic gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Vasala had a brilliant three-month period in 1972 when he won an Olympic gold medal at 1,500 meters and set a new European record in the 800 meters running 1:44.5. The time was only 0.2 seconds off the world record. His Olympic gold would be his only major international medal. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Pekka Vasala is the 860th most popular athlete (down from 725th in 2019), the 293rd most popular biography from Finland (down from 289th in 2019) and the 44th most popular Finnish Athlete.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Pekka Vasala by language
Among ATHLETES
Among athletes, Pekka Vasala ranks 860 out of 6,025. Before him are Yvette Williams, André Gaboriaud, Dagmar Käsling, Bernd Cullmann, Nino Bibbia, and Jules De Bisschop. After him are Tullio Bozza, Joël Robert, Roscoe Lockwood, Isao Okano, Camille Mandrillon, and Armand Duplantis.
Most Popular Athletes in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsYvette Williams
1929 - 2019
HPI: 56.14
Rank: 854
André Gaboriaud
1895 - 1969
HPI: 56.12
Rank: 855
Dagmar Käsling
1947 - Present
HPI: 56.11
Rank: 856
Bernd Cullmann
1939 - 2025
HPI: 56.11
Rank: 857
Nino Bibbia
1922 - 2013
HPI: 56.10
Rank: 858
Jules De Bisschop
1879 - 1954
HPI: 56.10
Rank: 859
Pekka Vasala
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.09
Rank: 860
Tullio Bozza
1891 - 1922
HPI: 56.09
Rank: 861
Joël Robert
1943 - 2021
HPI: 56.08
Rank: 862
Roscoe Lockwood
1875 - 1960
HPI: 56.08
Rank: 863
Isao Okano
1944 - Present
HPI: 56.07
Rank: 864
Camille Mandrillon
1891 - 1969
HPI: 56.07
Rank: 865
Armand Duplantis
1999 - Present
HPI: 56.07
Rank: 866
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1948, Pekka Vasala ranks 464. Before him are Vera Nikolić, Marc Okrand, Jeffrey Evans, 4th Baron Mountevans, Lyudmila Karachkina, Marleen Gorris, and Ștefan Birtalan. After him are Giuseppe Impastato, Martin Suter, Sgt. Slaughter, Christophe Joseph Marie Dabiré, Jovan Aćimović, and Kate Pierson.
Others Born in 1948
Go to all RankingsVera Nikolić
ATHLETE
1948 - 2021
HPI: 56.19
Rank: 458
Marc Okrand
WRITER
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.19
Rank: 459
Jeffrey Evans, 4th Baron Mountevans
POLITICIAN
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.18
Rank: 460
Lyudmila Karachkina
ASTRONOMER
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.18
Rank: 461
Marleen Gorris
FILM DIRECTOR
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.15
Rank: 462
Ștefan Birtalan
HANDBALL PLAYER
1948 - 2024
HPI: 56.14
Rank: 463
Pekka Vasala
ATHLETE
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.09
Rank: 464
Giuseppe Impastato
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1948 - 1978
HPI: 56.08
Rank: 465
Martin Suter
WRITER
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.05
Rank: 466
Sgt. Slaughter
WRESTLER
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.04
Rank: 467
Christophe Joseph Marie Dabiré
POLITICIAN
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.02
Rank: 468
Jovan Aćimović
SOCCER PLAYER
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.01
Rank: 469
Kate Pierson
MUSICIAN
1948 - Present
HPI: 55.96
Rank: 470
In Finland
Among people born in Finland, Pekka Vasala ranks 289 out of 751. Before him are Rodrigo (null), and Pauli Nevala (1940). After him are Olavi Virta (1915), Rosa Liksom (1958), Jorma Kinnunen (1941), Pentti Eskola (1883), Emppu Vuorinen (1978), Sakari Tuomioja (1911), Matti Sippala (1908), Mr Lordi (1974), Oskari Tokoi (1873), and Julius Saaristo (1891).
Others born in Finland
Go to all RankingsRodrigo
ATHLETE
HPI: 54.65
Rank: 287
Pauli Nevala
ATHLETE
1940 - Present
HPI: 54.63
Rank: 288
Pekka Vasala
ATHLETE
1948 - Present
HPI: 54.62
Rank: 289
Olavi Virta
SINGER
1915 - 1972
HPI: 54.62
Rank: 290
Rosa Liksom
WRITER
1958 - Present
HPI: 54.56
Rank: 291
Jorma Kinnunen
ATHLETE
1941 - 2019
HPI: 54.46
Rank: 292
Pentti Eskola
GEOLOGIST
1883 - 1964
HPI: 54.40
Rank: 293
Emppu Vuorinen
MUSICIAN
1978 - Present
HPI: 54.34
Rank: 294
Sakari Tuomioja
POLITICIAN
1911 - 1964
HPI: 54.31
Rank: 295
Matti Sippala
ATHLETE
1908 - 1997
HPI: 54.29
Rank: 296
Mr Lordi
MUSICIAN
1974 - Present
HPI: 54.27
Rank: 297
Oskari Tokoi
POLITICIAN
1873 - 1963
HPI: 54.24
Rank: 298
Julius Saaristo
ATHLETE
1891 - 1969
HPI: 54.23
Rank: 299
Among ATHLETES In Finland
Among athletes born in Finland, Pekka Vasala ranks 44. Before him are Väinö Siikaniemi (1887), Martti Marttelin (1897), Pertti Karppinen (1953), Sulo Bärlund (1910), Ville Pörhölä (1897), and Antero Kivi (1904). After him are Urho Peltonen (1893), Kalervo Toivonen (1913), Vilho Niittymaa (1896), Thorvald Strömberg (1931), Mirja Hietamies (1931), and Akilles Järvinen (1905).
Väinö Siikaniemi
1887 - 1932
HPI: 56.46
Rank: 38
Martti Marttelin
1897 - 1940
HPI: 56.46
Rank: 39
Pertti Karppinen
1953 - Present
HPI: 56.38
Rank: 40
Sulo Bärlund
1910 - 1986
HPI: 56.23
Rank: 41
Ville Pörhölä
1897 - 1964
HPI: 56.19
Rank: 42
Antero Kivi
1904 - 1981
HPI: 56.15
Rank: 43
Pekka Vasala
1948 - Present
HPI: 56.09
Rank: 44
Urho Peltonen
1893 - 1951
HPI: 56.00
Rank: 45
Kalervo Toivonen
1913 - 2006
HPI: 55.91
Rank: 46
Vilho Niittymaa
1896 - 1979
HPI: 55.70
Rank: 47
Thorvald Strömberg
1931 - 2010
HPI: 55.62
Rank: 48
Mirja Hietamies
1931 - 2013
HPI: 55.56
Rank: 49
Akilles Järvinen
1905 - 1943
HPI: 55.50
Rank: 50