Nordic SkiingCross-country skiing
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He died today in Oulu quest'' after a long illness Eero Mäntyranta legend Finnish cross-country skiing. He was 76 years.
Monday 30 December 2013 2 minutes reading time
Mäntyranta, born in 1937, was one of the most successful cross-country skiers in absolute'' 60 years, when there was still the World Cup. He won two Olympic gold medals (both Innsbruck 1964), and 2 gold iridescent (one in 1962 and one in Zakopane Holmenkollen 1966).
It belongs therefore to the narrow group of 8 athletes in the history of skiing have been able to win at least two Olympic titles and two world titles.
He also won three more individual medals in the Olympics and World Cup in addition to the brackets with five medals, including one gold d'' (Games in Squaw Valley 1960).
Beyond its sports performance, Mäntyranta went down in history for being one of the first cases of doping ever (even the first Finnish athlete to be found positive). In 1972, his tests showed the'' use of amphetamines, a substance which has always denied taking''.
Mäntyranta in the coming years admitted that he had made use of hormones during his career, in a period in which, however, were considered a lawful substance.
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