JOIN THE CHAMPS - ROME 1974

History often repeats itself. This will be the second time Rome has hosted the European Athletics Championships. Exactly fifty years ago, the Eternal City welcomed Europe’s best athletes under the shadow of the Colosseum. It was a momentous historical event for the competition, uniting spectators in a Europe that was divided by an Iron Curtain but united in sport. 745 athletes from 29 nations competed in the monumental Olympic Stadium and trained amongst the statues of the “Stadium of Marble”, bringing athletic excellence to a timeless city.

22nd May Juoksu
Karhu Suomi
KARHU FACTS – ROME 1974  
Karhu Suomi

PIETRO MENNEA – ITALIAN SPRINTER

Amidst the action and excitement of the Olympic Stadium, the most memorable event was the victory in the 200m by a homegrown idol and athlete-scholar, Pietro Mennea. With four university degrees and a life that could only be described as monastic, Mennea represents for Italians the greatest example of dedication and sacrifice aimed at overcoming limitations and achieving athletic success. "Effort is never wasted. Suffer, but also dream." Mennea achieved two more European gold medals in Prague 1978, in the 100 and 200m, and a long series of international victories, culminating in Olympic gold in the 200m in Moscow 1980. Perhaps his greatest victory is his example, which he's passed on to millions of fans: "Sports teaches that in order to win, talent alone is not enough; it takes hard work and daily sacrifice. The same goes for life."

NINA HOLMEN – FINNISH LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER

The Flying Finns left their mark on the Eternal City as well. This time, the honor fell to a female middle-distance runner with close ties to KARHU, Siv Nina Anette Holmén. Holmén, who donated one of her first pairs of KARHU shoes to our archive collection a few months ago, won gold in the women's 3,000m in '74. It was a first; women had never run this distance in Europe's top competition before Rome. The native of Wärn was also a talented cross-country runner, a sport that has always been close to the heart of KARHU and that is reflected in our recent sponsorship of the 2022 European Cross Country Championships.

Karhu Suomi

KARHU EVOLUTION - ROME 1974

The European Athletics Championships in Rome is also remembered for its spectacular visuals. The cultural and aesthetic revolution of the 1970s was in full force in the dazzling sights of the 'caput mundi', with brightly colored uniforms and athletes with unforgettable looks. Those same colors and looks can be found in the KARHU catalogs of this eclectic decade.

Photo Credits - IMAGO / Werner Schulze / WEREK / CTK Photo