Ilmari Salminen

Ilmari Salminen was a Finnish long-distance runner, born on 21 September 1902, who won the 10,000 metres at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. He began his international career in 1934 by winning the 10,000 m and taking bronze in the 5000 m at the first European Championships in Turin, which made him a main favorite for the Olympic 10,000 m. In Berlin he won the final ahead of his compatriots Arvo Askola and Volmari Iso-Hollo, holding off Askola by 0.2 seconds, and finished sixth in the 5000 m. The next season he ran a 10,000 m world record of 30:05.6 and also set a world record in the six miles. He won gold in the 10,000 m at the 1938 European Championships, retired after the following season and later headed the organizing committee of the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.