finnish pronunciation june october finnish long distance runner nicknamed flying finn dominated distance running early 20th century set official world records distances metres kilometres won gold silver medals events olympic games peak undefeated distances upwards races year career remained unbeaten cross country events born working class family left school provide family inspired olympic feats began developing strict training program started flourish military service setting national records route international debut summer olympics silver medal took gold cross country events far runner hold world record mile races time went set new world records hour races gold medals distances hours olympics seemingly untouched paris heat wave won races returned home gold medals finnish officials refused enter struggling injuries motivation issues tour found long time rivals summer olympics recaptured title beaten gold turned attention longer distances breaking world records events hour run mile marathon intended end career marathon gold medal idol controversial case strained finland sweden relations sparked inter battle suspended games council questioned amateur status days opening ceremonies council rejected entries declared professional suspension definite retired running later coached finnish runners raised funds finland winter war worked building contractor share trader eventually finland richest people lighter summer olympics speed elusive personality spawned nicknames phantom finn achievements training methods running style influenced future generations middle long distance runners rarely ran hand credited introducing pace strategy approach running making running major international sport early life born finland carpenter wife siblings born respectively family moved square meter apartment central live young friends inspired english long distance runner regularly ran walked kilometres miles swim twice day age ran metres father died sister year later family struggled financially renting kitchen family living single room talented student left school work boy stopped running actively got plenty exercise pushing heavy steep slopes later credited climbs strengthening leg muscles interest athletics inspired performances said run finland map world summer olympics bought pair days later trained primarily cross country running summers cross country skiing winters joined sports club won race metres years later revised training program include walking continued provide family new job workshop worked started military service machine gun company april finnish civil war remained politically passive concentrated work olympic ambitions war decided join newly founded wrote articles federation chief organ criticized discrimination fellow workers athletes army quickly impressed athletic competitions marched ran distances rifle shoulder sand caused difficulties non commissioned officers favoured superior officers despite refusal soldier oath unit commander known sports athletes given free time practice improvised new training methods army barracks ran trains holding rear stretch stride heavy iron clad army boots strengthen legs soon began setting personal got close olympic selection march promoted corporal set national record went win olympic trials july olympic career olympics international debut august summer olympics antwerp belgium took medal finishing second remain time lost non finnish runner olympics went win gold medals events past final curve improving personal best minute cross country race beating sweden cross country team event helped defeat british swedish teams success brought electric lighting running water family given scholarship study industrial school defeat races series experiments analyzed previously known pace laps started carry spread efforts uniformly distance aimed perfect technique tactics point performances rivals rendered meaningless set world record stockholm broke world records year later added records mile feat holding world records mile time matched athlete tested speed winning finnish championships new national record mathematics graduated engineer returned home prepare upcoming olympic games trip summer olympics endangered knee injury spring recovered resumed training twice day june tried olympic schedule stadium running inside hour setting new world records distances final olympics paris ran seconds faster challenger united_states gave lap able slow coast victory ahead breaking olympic record seconds final started hours faced tough challenge won figured tired tried burn running world record pace realizing racing men clock tossed grass later passed pace faded continued duel home straight outside increased pace rival metre cross country events heat caused competitors abandon race finishers taken away athlete began run tiny circles reaching stadium setting stands knocking unconscious early leader wide course incorrectly reported died hospital exhibited slight signs exhaustion beating win nearly minute half finland looked lost team medal stadium barely moving forward athlete ahead metres finish stopped tried find way track thinking reached finish line having ignored shouts kept spectators suspense turned right direction realised situation reached finish 12th place secured team gold present stadium shocked witnessed olympic officials decided ban cross country running future games team race day finished second secured gold medal finnish team finishing fifth won gold medals events left games finnish officials allocated races star runners prevented defending title distance returning finland set world record years held mile world records simultaneously tour olympics early embarked widely publicised tour united_states competed events indoors month period starting sold madison square garden january debut copy feats paris defeated win mile win setting new world records distances broke indoor world records regular events set new best times distances won events abandoned race lost handicap races final event half mile race yankee stadium finished second american track star victory ended race year win streak individual scratch races distances upwards hated losing tour extremely popular united_states finn agreed meet president white house left america fearing competed burned struggled maintain motivation running heightened problems quit job machinery began studying business started new career share dealer financial advisors included director broke wide world record berlin improved record stockholm despite repeatedly trying slow pace effort aid wide furious vowed race october lost race world record germany marked time years races defeated distance finnish officials barred international competition refusing run finland sweden international rematch scheduled vienna ended season threatened late november withdraw summer olympics olympic trials left eventual gold bronze decided concentrate longer distances added program tried event twice latest mile victory british championships olympics amsterdam competed events won staying right past home straight final injured qualifying heat fell water jump hip foot stopped help thanked pacing past field offered heat win refused tried repeat watch teammate pull away instead looking exhausted barely managed wide silver little time rest nurse injuries started day struggling let finland specialist escape distance final lap clear finished seconds world record setting time previous record finish completed finnish sweep medals longer distances stated swedish newspaper absolutely season track beginning old raced years continued running turning attention longer distances october broke world records miles hour run berlin hour record stood years ran metres january started second tour brooklyn suffered defeat mile indoor seven seconds slower world record run immediately speculated mile short distance set new world record july showed pace shorter distances beating breaking world record rare miles runner complete distance minutes planned compete marathon summer olympics los_angeles stating won enter metres finland excellent men event april executive council suspended international athletics events pending investigation amateur status finnish authorities criticized acting hearing agreed launch investigation customary accept final decision national branch associated_press wrote little doubt finnish federation international body accept decision question week later ruled favor finding evidence allegations hopeful suspension lifted time games june started marathon olympic trials drinking drop liquid ran old style short marathon miles pace finish marathon world record time led eventual olympic bronze medalist minutes time new unofficial world record short marathon confident stopped retired race owing problems entered marathon guardian reported trial times unbelievable went train olympic village los_angeles despite injury set heart ending career marathon gold medal shortly world war olympics later career days special commission consisting seven members suspended rejected finn entries barred competing los_angeles president chairman executive council stated congress scheduled start day olympics merely review phases political angles related case called political maneuvers international athletic history wrote games like hamlet celebrated cast thousands protested action details case released press evidence believed sworn statements german race promoters received race running germany autumn statements produced sent increasingly threatening letters warning evidence provided unfortunately stringent action eve marathon race positions known filed petition asking entry accepted right hand man secretary general head approached finnish officials stated able arrange participate marathon outside competition finland maintained long athlete declared professional right participate race officially diagnosed pulled weeks earlier stated won event minutes congress concluded declared professional council authority athlete upheld vote close vote matter postponed meet stockholm charged swedish officials tricks campaign amateur status ceased athletic relations sweden year earlier controversies track press led finland withdraw finland sweden athletics international suspension finland agree return event refused turn professional continued running amateur finland ran years won national title best time meet august finland launched proposals lost council brought forward resolution empowering suspend athletes finds violation amateur code vote voting suspension international amateur athletics definite weeks later retired running victory september remained undefeated distance year level career cross country running win streak lasted years later life active runner known secretive training methods running pace quickly exhausted bold join club mate learned little ending career coach trained runners summer olympics berlin entire board directors quit federation heated vote resume athletic relations sweden returned coaching months later finnish distance runners went gold medals bronze games opened men clothing store popular tourist attraction visited store trying meet finn spent time room running new business venture construction contractor built apartment buildings flats years rated millionaire rival ended living flats half price money stock market eventually finland richest people february winter war finland soviet_union returned united_states protégé man run minutes raise funds rally support finnish cause relief drive directed president included coast coast tour welcomed ambassadors greatest sporting nation world san_francisco received news olympic champion killed action left finland late april later served continuation war delivery company trainer military staff discharged january promoted staff sergeant later sergeant class persuaded prime minister finland chairman carry olympic torch olympic stadium summer olympics appearance spectators sports_illustrated wrote celebrated stride crowd came view waves sound began build stadium rising thunder national teams assembled formation infield saw flowing figure broke ranks like excited edge track lighting flame olympic passed torch idol beacon tower cancelled summer olympics planned lead group finnish gold medal winners felt got credit athlete little businessman interest running died returned track times faced old rival stockholm benefit victims ran time february madison square garden invited predicted welfare countries start struggle distance events higher standard living country weaker results events work trouble like warn new generation let comfortable life lazy let new means transport kill instinct physical exercise young people driving car small distances took microphone sports club guests criticised state distance running finland sports executives publicity tourists demanding athletes sacrifice accomplish lived renaissance finnish running 1970s led athletes olympic gold complimented running style advised concentrate accepted invitation president white_house lived life late 1960s began granting press interviews birthday agreed interview finland national public broadcasting company learning president act interviewer suffering health problems heart attack stroke failing times spoke sports calling waste time compared science art died given state funeral attended funeral praised people explore successor comes class extinguished request enjoyed classical music played violin violin played ceremony record fell world record indoor lasted finnish national record years personal life public image married interested athletics opposed raising newborn son runner stated associated_press concentration athletics forced judge divorce middle distance runner later self businessman relationship son termed uneasy admired father businessman athlete discussed running career runner best father time famous race july broke world record finished distant ninth personal best seconds slower father world record hollywood actress best known horror icon referred niece supported official documents enjoyed finnish sports bathing traditions finnish performances paris heat wave versatile diet practiced ages identified known faced believed close friends occasionally showed sarcastic sense humour small circles knew acclaimed biggest sporting figure world peak publicity media stating later 75th birthday fame reputation worth rotten french journalist questioned intensive approach sports wrote reserved concentrated fanatic self control great moment feelings contemporary nicknamed great silent noted persona remained mystery finnish runners journalists real enigmatic like god cloud time playing role drama responsive fellow athletes media exchanged ideas trained rival told forget opponents conquering greatest challenge athlete known emphasize importance psychological strength mind muscle pieces rubber mind track antics found track hand lap lap ran tape subject laws mathematical table met idol olympics said appeared cold asked grabbed excited couldn believe speed elusive personality led nicknames phantom finn king runners mathematical prowess use led press characterize running machine dubbed mechanical created time noted innovation tactic pacing inspired troubled people era robot symbolic modern human popular newspaper rumours heart low pulse rate debate amateur status joked lowest highest asking price athlete world legacy broke official world records distances record running set unofficial ones total indoor world records unofficial indoor records 1980s record olympic gold medals matched swimmer fellow track field athlete broken swimmer record medals olympic games stood won 13th medal fencing time selected greatest time named athletes inducted hall fame introduced pace strategy running pacing spreading energy uniformly race reasoned race time don sprint hold pace steady hard tape stated hand elevated athletics new plane intelligent application effort modern scientifically prepared athlete considered pioneer regards training developed systematic year round training program included long distance work interval running wrote kings distance study great runners accelerated progress world records developed actually came approach running profound influence finland world athletics style technique tactics held successive finland steadily improved records founder credited running spectator sport imprint track world greater man man raised track glory major sport eyes international fans honored truly great athletes sports achievements training methods inspired future track stars generations trained child based training system able find methods scheduled meet time day died inspired runner repeat achievements great man grandfather spoke man win games influence stretched running olympic arena olympics won lyric gold medal poem included verse horse won individual team gold medals bronze statue sculpted original held art museum copies cast original mould exist olympic stadium switzerland widely publicized prank students miniature copy statue discovered year old wreck swedish war ship lifted sea sculpted work runners depicts battle book released sweden biographical book finnish finnish named main belt named rival boarded plane moved finland held annually oldest marathon wisconsin second oldest finland marathon bearing held hometown athletics competition games started american college finnish roots named athletic center mark bill featuring portrait issued revised bills honored architect composer enlightenment author respectively bill replaced new mark note featuring historic stadium renamed world records set stadium including records mile record record fiction appears novel marathon man idol protagonist aims greater runner opera great great race written composed debuted olympic stadium episode simpsons burns antique career summary seasons events olympics world records ratified unofficial
Paavo Nurmi