The following year Koskela captured his only major international medal, winning bronze in the 10,000 metres event at the 1950 European Athletics Championships. Nonetheless he fell to sixth and seventh in that year's rankings for the 5000 and 10,000 metres respectively, moving up to sixth in the 10,000 metres in 1951. By the time of the 1952 Summer Olympics (held in his native Finland) he was suffering from muscle pains and was not ranked among the top ten globally in either discipline. In Helsinki he finished 16th in a field of 33 participants in the men's 10,000 metres and did not make the finals of the men's 5000 metres.