Paavo Nurmi

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.

13 June 1897

Born on the same birth day (13 June): Aaron Taylor-Johnson • Adrien Baillet • Charles the Bald • E. M. S. Namboodiripad • Heinrich Hoffmann (author) • Henry George Lamond • Irvin D. Yalom • Jan Marek Marci • Mary-Kate Olsen • Paul L. Modrich • Paul Veyne • Raymond Jolliffe, 5th Baron Hylton • Ryan Mason • Silvio Bankert • Simona Senoner • Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater • Virginie Despentes • Yitzhak Pundak

Born in the same month (June 1897): Edmund A. Chester • Elisabeth Hauptmann • Fulgence Charpentier • George Szell • Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia • Joel Rinne • John G. Bennett • Martti Marttelin • Memphis Minnie • Norbert Elias