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Veli-Matti "Aku" Partanen
* 28 October 1991 Lappeenranta
Present residence: Porvoo
181 cm, 63 kg
Club: Lappeenrannan Urheilu-Miehet
Coach: Valentin Kononen
Event: 50 km race walk
Veli-Matti is his official name, but the man is better known as Aku. The name Aku Partanen that sometimes appears
in official results lists as well. Aku made his international debut at the World Championships of 2013 in Moscow.
Two years later in Beijing he finished eighteenth as best of three Finnish walkers. Aku’s coach Valentin Kononen
took part at three Olympic Games and won the World Championship title in 50 kilometres in Gothenburg 1995.
ACHIEVEMENTS*:
2013 WCh 41st.
2014 EurCh 18th.
2015 WCh 18th.
*Original placements.
PERSONAL BEST:
3:49:02 (2015)