Paavo Johannes Nurmi was a Finnish middle-distance and long-distance runner. He was called the "Flying Finn" or the "Phantom Finn", as 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. Throughout his 14-year career, he remained unbeaten in cross country events and the 10,000 metres.
The 1952 Summer Olympics (Finnish: Kesäolympialaiset 1952; officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (Finnish: XV olympiadin kisat; and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1952 in Helsinki, Finland.
Vilho "Ville" Eino Ritola was a Finnish long-distance runner. Known as one of the "Flying Finns", he won five Olympic gold medals and three Olympic silver medals in the 1920s. He holds the record of winning most athletics medals at a single Games – four golds and two silvers in Paris 1924 - and ranks second in terms of most athletics gold medals at a single Games.
Johannes Sigfrid Edström was a Swedish industrialist, chairman of the Sweden-America Foundation, and 4th President of the International Olympic Committee.
Juho Pietari "Hannes" Kolehmainen was a Finnish four-time Olympic gold medalist and a world record holder in middle- and long-distance running. He was the first in a generation of great Finnish long-distance runners, often named the "Flying Finns". Kolehmainen competed for a number of years in the United States, wearing the Winged Fist of the Irish American Athletic Club. He also enlisted in the 14th Regiment of the National Guard of New York, and became a U.S. citizen in 1921.
Lasse Artturi Virén is a Finnish former long-distance runner, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics. Virén recaptured the image of the "Flying Finns" promoted by runners like Hannes Kolehmainen, Paavo Nurmi and Ville Ritola in the 1920s. He was elected Finnish Sportsman of the Year in 1972 and 1976 and later became a politician and a member of Finland's parliament in 1999–2007 and 2010–2011.
Alan Boone Helffrich was an American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4 × 400 m relay at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
The Los Angeles Marathon is an annual running event typically held each spring in Los Angeles, California, since 1989. The marathon was inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games hosted in Los Angeles, and has become one of the largest marathons in the country, with more than 25,000 participants, thousands of volunteers, and hundreds of thousands of spectators.
Finnkampen, Suomi-Ruotsi-maaottelu or Ruotsi-ottelu, is a yearly international athletics competition held between Sweden and Finland since 1925.
The United Airlines Rock 'n' Roll Running Series - Washington DC, formerly known as the National Marathon, is an annual half marathon and 5k held in Washington, D.C. since 2006. The half marathon and formerly offered marathon distance races take place entirely within Washington, D.C., and finish near RFK Stadium.
The Paavo Nurmi Marathon is an annual road running event held each August in Iron County, Wisconsin, in the United States. The course begins in the town of Upson and continues along Highway 77 through the communities of Iron Belt, Pence and Montreal. Near Carey, the race turns down County Highway C, clips past the Gile Flowage and proceeds along U.S. Route 51 into the city of Hurley. The finish line is located on Silver Street in Hurley, where the race finishers are served a traditional Finnish stew called Mojakka.
Elias Katz was a Finnish track and field athlete, who competed mainly in the 3000 metres steeplechase.
Veikko Leo Karvonen was a Finnish long-distance runner who mainly competed in the marathon. He won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 1956 Summer Olympics. At the 1954 European Championships he won the gold medal in the marathon and the following year won the Boston Marathon.
Dr Karl Ritter von Halt, born Karl Ferdinand Halt was a sport official in Nazi Germany and the German Federal Republic. He was born and died in Munich.
Taisto Armas Mäki was a Finnish long-distance runner – one of the so-called "Flying Finns". Like his coach and close friend, Paavo Nurmi, Mäki broke world records over two miles, 5000 metres and 10,000 metres – holding the records simultaneously between 1939 and 1942. Mäki was the first man to run 10,000 metres in less than 30 minutes, breaking his own world record in a time of 29:52.6 on 17 September 1939.
The Paavo Nurmi Marathon is an annual marathon road running race held during summer in Turku, Finland, the birth city of Paavo Nurmi. Although various marathons have been held in Turku since 1910, the Paavo Nurmi Marathon was established in 1992. It is arranged along with Paavo Nurmi Games, a part of Paavo Nurmi happening week. The route goes through Turku city and Ruissalo park. The marathon attracts yearly 500 to 1000 participants.
The men's marathon at the 1932 Summer Olympics took place on August 7. It started and finished at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Twenty-eight athletes from 14 nations competed. The 1930 Olympic Congress in Berlin had reduced the limit from 6 athletes per NOC to 3 athletes. The event was won by Juan Carlos Zabala of Argentina, the nation's first Olympic marathon medal. Great Britain also earned its first Olympic marathon medal with Sam Ferris's silver, while Finland made the marathon podium for a fourth consecutive Games as Armas Toivonen won bronze.
The Milton Keynes Marathon is an annual road marathon and marathon relay event held in Milton Keynes, England on the Spring bank holiday, first held in 2012.
Paavo the Great. Great Race. Great Dream. is an opera in three acts by Finnish composer Tuomas Kantelinen to a libretto by the poet Paavo Haavikko. The opera deals with the life of the Finnish middle- and long-distance runner Paavo Nurmi who won a total of nine Olympic gold medals in the 1920s. It was premiered in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in 2000 as Helsinki was one of the European Capitals of Culture. The title refers to Nurmi's great ambition to win the marathon race at the 1940 Helsinki Olympics, which were not held because of the outbreak of World War II.
Eläintarha Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Eläintarha park in Helsinki, Finland. It was opened in 1910 as the first stadium in Helsinki. Today it is mostly used by track and field athletes.
Martín Fiz 
Albina Galimova 
