Paavo Nurmi

Biography

Paavo Nurmi was the original Flying Finn, a relentless distance runner who dominated the 1920s with a stopwatch in one hand and victory in the other. He would run with a timepiece, checking his pace, calculating exactly what he needed to win. His 12 Olympic medals across three Games included nine golds, and his 22 world records covered every distance from 1500m to 20,000m. He won the 1500m and 5000m finals within 90 minutes of each other at the 1924 Paris Olympics. Nurmi turned distance running into a science, and for a decade, the science was unbeatable.

Career Highlights

• 12 Olympic medals (9 gold)
• 22 world records
• Won 1500m and 5000m within 90 minutes
• Undefeated in 121 races (1921-1925)
• Greatest distance runner pre-Zatopek

Learn More