Väinö Tiiri
# Väinö Tiiri

Väinö Edward Tiiri (31 January 1886 – 30 July 1966) was a Finnish gymnast who won two Olympic medals.

## Sport

### Olympics

Väinö Tiiri at the Olympic Games :

| Games | Event | Rank | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1908 Summer Olympics | Men's team | 3rd | Source: |
| 1912 Summer Olympics | Team, free system | 2nd | |

He was in the Finnish team leadership in the 1924 and 1928 games.

He was a judge at the gymnastics at the 1928 Summer Olympics.

### Other

He won the Finnish national championship in team gymnastics as a member of Ylioppilasvoimistelijat in 1909.

He was the chairman of the boys' chapter of the Finnish Gymnastics and Sports Federation in 1924–1926.

He was a founding member of the fencing club Helsingin Miekkailijat.

He was the leader of the Suomen Urheilulehti editorial staff in 1909–1917. He edited sports-related articles in the encyclopedia Pieni tietosanakirja.

He held positions of trust in several national-level sports federations.

## Career

He completed his matriculation exam in Turku Finnish Real Lycaeum in 1907 and graduated as a gymnastics teacher in 1911. He worked as a gymnastics teacher up to 1952.

He completed Artillery Officer School in 1918 and eventually reached the rank of major in 1928.

He was the physical education officer of the Finnish Defence Forces for over ten years. He served as a battalion commander in the World War II.

He was an editor in Uusi Suomi and Suomen Sotilas.

## Politics

He was one of the members of the central committee responsible of the creation of the Jäger Movement. He was nominated an honorary jäger in 1961.

## Accolades

He received the following honorary awards:

* Cross of Liberty, 3rd Class
* Cross of Liberty, 4th Class
* Knight (Chevalier) of the White Rose of Finland
* The Jaeger Activist Medal
* memorial medals of three wars

## Family

His parents were Kalle and Maria Tiiri. He married Helmi Koski in 1921. His only child was named Juhana.

## Sources

* Väinö Tiiri at Olympedia
