Taisto Kangasniemi
Kangasniemi (top) at the 1952 Olympics | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 2 April 1924 Kankaanpää, Finland | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 31 October 1997 (aged 73) Kangasala, Finland | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 100–110 kg (220–243 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wrestling | ||||||||||||||
| Club | Kankaanpään Meno Tampereen Painiseura TUL | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Taisto Ilmari Kangasniemi (2 April 1924 – 31 October 1997) was a Finnish heavyweight wrestler. He competed in Greco-Roman and freestyle events at the 1948, 1952, 1952 and 1964 Summer Olympics, and won a freestyle bronze medal in 1956; he placed sixth in the freestyle in 1952 and fourth-sixth in Greco-Roman contests in 1952 and 1956. His best result at the world championships was fourth place in 1953 in Greco-Roman wrestling. Domestically he won eight Greco-Roman (1950–51, 1953, 1955, and 1962–63) and two freestyle titles (1953–54).
After retiring from competitions Kangasniemi worked as a sports instructor and functionary. He was president and then honorary president of Tampereen Painiseura, a wrestling club he co-founded.