ATHLETE

Paavo Nurmi

1897 - 1973

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Paavo Johannes Nurmi (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈpɑːʋo ˈnurmi] ; 13 June 1897 – 2 October 1973) was a Finnish middle-distance and long-distance runner. He was called the "Flying Finn" because he dominated distance running in the 1920s. Nurmi set 22 official world records at distances between 1,500 metres and 20 kilometres, and won nine gold and three silver medals in his 12 events in the Summer Olympic Games. At his peak, Nurmi was undefeated for 121 races at distances from 800 m upwards. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Paavo Nurmi is the 4th most popular athlete (down from 3rd in 2019), the 7th most popular biography from Finland and the most popular Finnish Athlete.

Paavo Nurmi was a Finnish runner who was most famous for his achievements in the 1920s and 1930s. He won nine Olympic gold medals and set 22 official world records in distances ranging from 1500 meters to 20 kilometers.

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Among ATHLETES

Among athletes, Paavo Nurmi ranks 4 out of 6,025. Before him are Karma, Diego Garcia, and Emil Zátopek. After him are Abebe Bikila, Jesse Owens, Sigfrid Edström, Florence Griffith Joyner, Spyridon Louis, Thomas Burke, Bob Beamon, and Mara.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1897, Paavo Nurmi ranks 13. Before him are Zakir Husain, Tadeusz Reichstein, Cyril Norman Hinshelwood, Ivan Konev, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Thích Quảng Đức. After him are Ludwig Erhard, Yun Posun, Jiroemon Kimura, Anthony Eden, Lucky Luciano, and Wilhelm Reich. Among people deceased in 1973, Paavo Nurmi ranks 17. Before him are Fulgencio Batista, W. H. Auden, Walter Ulbricht, İsmet İnönü, J. Hans D. Jensen, and Ivan Konev. After him are Hans Kelsen, Henri Charrière, Abebe Bikila, John Ford, Karl Ziegler, and Ludwig von Mises.

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In Finland

Among people born in Finland, Paavo Nurmi ranks 7 out of 751. Before him are Alvar Aalto (1898), Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1867), Simo Häyhä (1905), Jean Sibelius (1865), Tove Jansson (1914), and Frans Eemil Sillanpää (1888). After him are Tarja Halonen (1943), Elias Lönnrot (1802), Urho Kekkonen (1900), Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (1895), Sauli Niinistö (1948), and Juho Kusti Paasikivi (1870).

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Among ATHLETES In Finland

Among athletes born in Finland, Paavo Nurmi ranks 1. After him are Hannes Kolehmainen (1889), Lasse Virén (1949), Ville Ritola (1896), Matti Järvinen (1909), Albin Stenroos (1889), Ilmari Salminen (1902), Volmari Iso-Hollo (1907), Gunnar Höckert (1910), Jonni Myyrä (1892), Lauri Virtanen (1904), and Eero Lehtonen (1898).

Finnish born Athletes

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