Five facts about…..Leo-Pekka Tahti

Finland’s Leo-Pekka Tahti has been almost unbeatable over 100m T54 for nearly a decade and will certainly be one to beat at October’s IPC Athletics World Championships in Qatar, Doha.

Here are five facts you might not know about the star wheelchair racer.

1. In January 2013 a vote in Finland decided that Tahti’s victory in the 100m T54 at London 2012 was the "best sports moment of the year in Finland".

2. He is the only athlete in Paralympic history to have won three gold medals in a row in the 100m T54 – winning in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012. “Next year in Rio I try to reach my fourth victory in a row,” he declared.

3. The 32-year-old was undefeated over 100m for over four years, between May 2007 and July 2011, winning around 70 competitions in a row.

4. Tahti -the world record holder - has pushed below 14 seconds 24 times in his career so far – one of only five athletes to break that barrier.

5. He tried wheelchair pole vault – “At the moment I am studying for my professional coaching degree in Finland. We tested many sporting events, like wall climbing and pole vault. The height of the bar was 270 cm and after that we laughed that this is a new unofficial world record in wheelchair pole vault!”

The IPC Athletics World Championships will take place in Doha, Qatar, between 21-31 October, attracting 1,400 athletes from 100 countries.