Lillak, Tiina (1961—)

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Lillak, Tiina (1961—)

Finnish javelin thrower. Born Ilse Kristiina Lillak on April 15, 1961.

In 1982, Tiina Lillak broke the world record in the javelin with a throw of 72.40 meters, though Sofia Sakorafa of Greece topped that within weeks at a meet in Crete with a throw of 74.20. In 1983, Lillak regained the world record at the Helsinki World championships with a throw of 74.76. The following year, she won the Olympic silver medal in the javelin throw in Los Angeles, placing second to Britain's gold medalist Tessa Sanderson . Tiina Lillak was only the second Finnish woman to win an Olympic medal; the first was won by Kaisa Parviainen who took the silver for the javelin in London in 1948.