Paavo Nurmi
Paavo Nurmi, born on June 13, 1897, in Turku, Finland, is renowned as one of the greatest long-distance runners in history. His athletic journey began after being inspired by fellow Finnish runner Hannes Kolehmainen's success at the 1912 Olympics, leading Nurmi to commit to rigorous training and a lifestyle change focused on running. Overcoming early challenges in his career, he achieved fame at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, winning two gold medals and a silver, and cementing his status as a formidable competitor in long-distance events. Nurmi's remarkable achievements continued at the 1924 Paris Olympics, where he won gold in both the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters, setting world records in the process. His athletic prowess earned him various nicknames, including "Peerless Paavo" and "Phantom Finn." Despite the setback of being declared ineligible for the 1932 Olympics due to professional status, Nurmi maintained a successful post-competitive career. He was honored to carry the Olympic torch during the 1952 Helsinki Games. Nurmi's dedication and skill have left an enduring legacy in the world of athletics, making him a celebrated figure in Finnish history.
Paavo Nurmi
Athlete
- Born: June 13, 1897
- Birthplace: Turku, Finland
- Died: October 2, 1973
- Place of death: Helsinki, Finland
Sport: Track and field (long-distance runs and steeplechase)
Early Life
Paavo Johannes Nurmi was born in Turku, Finland, on June 13, 1897. Paavo’s father died when Paavo was thirteen years old. Paavo was required to go to work as an errand boy to help support the family. In 1912, Paavo’s life changed dramatically. A Finnish runner named Hannes Kolehmainen won three long-distance running events in the 1912 Olympics. The entire country of Finland became obsessed with running. Paavo joined his compatriots and began training in long-distance running.
The Road to Excellence
Paavo’s progress in running was slow in the beginning. However, he continued to run, and soon his whole life revolved around it. To help to improve his physical condition, he became a vegetarian; gave up coffee, tea, and alcohol; and did not smoke. Because of his obsession with running and training, however, his marriage suffered, and he and his wife separated.
Paavo’s daily training routine consisted of sprint work, followed by distance running through the forest, and then jumping activities. He began running behind trains in order to establish a pace.
In 1919, Paavo began an eighteen-month military service. He trained for longer periods of time and concentrated on long-distance work. He also combined walking with running and often would travel fifty miles in one training session.
The Emerging Champion
During the 1920 Olympics, held in Antwerp, Belgium, Paavo Nurmi became an international success. He took a silver medal in the 5,000-meter race, finishing behind a French runner, Joseph Guillemot. A few days later, however, Paavo avenged this loss to Guillemot by defeating him in the 10,000 meters. Paavo also won a gold medal in the 8,000 meters.
Although Paavo had won two gold medals in the 1920 Olympics, the silver-medal loss stayed in his mind. He began to train even harder to perfect his pace. He ran with a stopwatch, a practice that eventually became his trademark. He not only became skilled in long-distance events, but he also became the fastest miler of the era, with a time of 4 minutes 10.4 seconds.
The 1924 Olympics were held in Paris, France, and Paavo was on the Finnish Olympic team again. He won a gold medal in both the 1,500 meters and the 5,000 meters. Even more remarkable than winning both of these races, Paavo ran the two races within a fifty-five-minute time span and set world-record times for both. He won gold medals for the 10,000-meter cross-country run and the team 3,000-meter race.
During 1927, Paavo was a recluse. He continued to train, but age and excessive road training had left him at less than peak condition. He did, however, compete for his country in the 1928 Olympics, held in Amsterdam. He won a gold medal in the 10,000 meters but took second to teammate Ville Ritola in the 5,000 meters. He also won a silver medal in the steeplechase, a race in which he was completely inexperienced.
Continuing the Story
Many people thought that Paavo would compete for Finland in a fourth consecutive Olympics in 1932 and end his career by winning the marathon. However, he was declared ineligible because he had previously accepted payment for his running and was considered a professional. After his competitive athletic career, he went on to a successful business career in Finland. In 1952, he was given the honor of carrying the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony of the Helsinki games. He died on October 2, 1973, in Helsinki, Finland.
Summary
As the greatest of all the great Finnish runners, Paavo Nurmi demonstrated that dedication enables dreams to come true. He competed in three consecutive Olympic Games for his country. At one time, he held the official world records for the mile, 3 miles, 1,500 meters, 2,000 meters, 3,000 meters, and 5,000 meters.
Paavo was given many nicknames throughout his running career. He was known as the Peerless Paavo, the Phantom Finn, and one of the Flying Finns. Possibly the name that most will remember him by is the greatest runner of all time.
Bibliography
Bloom, Marc. “Greatest Olympic Moments.” Runner’s World, May, 2004, 94.
Collins, Douglas. Olympic Dreams: One Hundred Years of Excellence. New York: Universe, 1996.
Findling, John E., and Kimberly D. Pelle, eds. Historical Dictionary of the Modern Olympic Movement. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2004.
Higdon, Hal. “The Magnificent Seven.” Runner’s World 31, no. 8 (August, 1996): 88-92.
Karikko, Paavo, Mauno Koski, John O. Virtanen, and Christopher Grapes. Legendary Runner: A Biography of Paavo Nurmi. Helsinki: Sports Museum Foundation of Finland, 2006.