Pekka Päivärinta's Running Cap

Pekka Päivärinta was one of the best Finnish long-distance runners in the early 1970’s. He competed at the Olympic Games of 1972 and 1976 and won a total of 14 Finnish championship titles. His greatest achievement was victory at the inaugural World Cross-Country Championships in 1973. Päivärinta was famous for always wearing a red-and-white cap while running, which earned him the nickname ”Lätsä-Pekka” (Pekka the Cap). Actually there were two caps, one for training and one for racing. Päivärinta donated the racing cap, sown by his wife Merja, to the Sports Museum in 1978.