Viren cheating?

Nikkari was 11th in Munich with a relatively mediocre time of 2:18, still the best Finn of the race (his PB was 2:14).

A strange coincidence, which I wasn't aware of having happened, but it was just reported that Seppo Nikkari had passed away exactly a month ago (RIP 1948-2022).

yleisurheilu.fi

Seppo Nikkari 6.2.1948 – 18.4.2022

Mikko Nieminen

Yksi 1970-luvun huippujuoksija, maailmanennätysmies Seppo Nikkari pääsi ikuiseen rauhaan 18. huhtikuuta. Hän oli syntynyt 6. helmikuuta Pomarkussa ja oli kuollessaan 74-vuotias. Sepon lapsuus oli …

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I remember reading that a Swedish magazine offered Viren a million dollars if he would admit he doped. He declined. I thought that was pretty telling. I'd sing like a canary.

We should start a betting pool on whether Haikolla or Arch Jelley lasts longer. Jelley has the head start. I think he's 99 now and was still coaching last I heard, though that may have changed by now. RIP to Nikkari.

If Nikkari is #77 in that photo it looks like there's another mostly hidden Finn there.It looks like the cross of the Finnish flag on the guy to Shorter's left. Do you recognize him?

Arthur Lydiard Academy has a color version of the photo in which the Finnish flag is more clearly visible:

Open image

One Finnish website identifies him as Pentti Rummakko, a somewhat less-known runner even when one of the best Finnish marathon runners of the late 1960s / early 1970s before the real running boom in Finland. 4th at the 1969 Boston Marathon (2:14.59) and 6th at the 1971 European Championships do show talent, but still only one of the many international caliber -- but not elite -- runners of the era.

Maybe he didn't. I think he probably blood doped (which doesn't involve any drugs so to call it doping is inaccurate) but maybe he was just really good at peaking and the Olympics were it back then and every 4 years he was ready.

If he was REALLY doping he may have been better in 1980.