Nurmi, Paavo, << NUR mee, PAH vaw >> (1897-1973), a Finnish athlete, is considered the greatest distance runner in track and field history. His achievements from 1920 to 1932 made him a national hero of Finland. During that period, Nurmi set many world records in distances from 1,500 meters to 20,000 meters. He also won nine gold medals in the Olympic Games of 1920, 1924, and 1928. At the 1924 Games, he won five gold medals, a record in track and field. Over his career, he won 12 Olympic medals in seven events, including gold medals in six events. Both achievements also represent Olympic records in track and field.
Paavo Johannes Nurmi was born on June 13, 1897, in Turku, Finland. He was the first distance runner to scientifically plan his races. For example, he used a stop watch to help run at a desired pace. His Olympic career was cut short just before the 1932 games. The International Amateur Athletic Federation (now the International Association of Athletics Federations) declared that he had accepted too much money for expenses during a European tour, making him a professional athlete and therefore ineligible for the Olympics. He died on Oct. 2, 1973.
