Mikkola was born in Helsingfoors, Finland, on January 15, 1886, where he lived and went to both public and private schools. After he graduated from the academy which corresponds to our high schools he entered a Finnish university from which he has a degree as a technical engineer. In his capacity of engineer he took a position in a company which manufactured and sold farm machinery, but at the same time, as is customary for business men in Finland, he held a membership in an athletic club.

This club, which was the foremost club in Helsingfoors, had already turned out men who had been place winners in the Olympic games, and the interest in all sorts of sports was intense. Mikkola showed an adaptability in all athletic games which soon placed him in a prominent position in his club, and his activity in this respect and in other fields made him well-wnown throughout the whole of Finland. He became celebrated as a marksman, won the pole vault and steeple chase in the athletic games held in Petrograd as a captain in the army won several medals for bravery and distinguished service and for two years was long distance ski-champion of Finland.

Coaches Finland Team

In 1919, because of the part he had taken in the development of many of the star athletes of the Helsingfoors Athletic Club, he was appointed coach of the Finnish Olympic Team which was to participate in the following year at Antwerp. Mikkola immediately began a systematic combing of the country for prospective athletes and developed a team which made an excellent showing in the 1920 games.

After the Olympics Mikkola came to America to study the manufacturing of farm implements and to learn more about scientific farming. He stayed in this country until 1923 when he was asked to return to Finland in order to coach the Olympic Team which was to take part in the 1924 games. This he did, and with his former team as a base he built up a squad which was destined to tie America for the first and only time in the number of first places taken. Nine firsts went to the Fins and nine to the Americans.

At this time Mikkola was undecided as to whether he should resume his former profession as a technical engineer or become a professional coach. However, upon receiving an offer from Harvard he decided to take the latter course and since that time he has been coach in the weight events and of the cross country runners here.

Mikkola himself is not inclined to talk about his own accomplishments but is willing to discuss athletics in general. When asked why it is that the Fins are the outstanding long distance runners of the world he said that he believes it due to the fact that for hundreds of years the Finnish people have been forced to struggle for existence in the face of hardships entailed be the rigors of climate and a soil but little adapted to agriculture. This lends them the spirit to fight against odds so essential to long distance runners, and the centuries of hard work have geven them the necessary physical stamina.

Mikkola has played an important role in the development of organized athletics in Finland. Since the time he was first appointed coach of the Olympic Team he has written several books in his native language on athletics, which have had an extensive circulation, and during the time he was actively engaged in coaching his teams for the Olympics he stimulated much interest by touring the country and making speeches.

Likes Hunting and Fishing

His favorite occupations, however, are fishing and hunting in both of which he is adapt. Although Mikkola likes America immensely, in this respect he maintains that it is vastly inferior to Finland. But he is willing to forego the pleasures of fishing and hunting for the other advantages which this country offers and intends to remain here in the future.