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): Ann Druyan • Cayetana Guillén Cuervo • Charles Algernon Parsons • Chris Evans (actor) • Dallas Long • Erica Wiebe • Etienne Leroux • Giovanni Antonio Magini • Henry George Lamond • James T. Rutnam • Jérôme Lejeune • Kenenisa Bekele • Laura Ucrós • Leon Chwistek • Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon • Lukas Ligeti • Miguel Pate • Nóra Köves • Ralph Edwards • Ryan Mason

Born in the same month (June 1897): Anthony Eden • Cyril N. Hinshelwood • Edmund A. Chester • Elisabeth Hauptmann • Fulgence Charpentier • Georg Wittig • George Szell • Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia • Joel Rinne • John G. Bennett • Martti Marttelin • Menina Izildinha • Moe Howard • Norbert Elias • Ram Prasad Bismil • Reg Latta