Nurmi, Paavo, NUR mee, PAH vaw (1897-1973), a Finnish athlete, is considered the greatest distance runner in track and field history. His achievements from 1920 to 1932 made him a national hero of Finland. During that period, Nurmi set 29 world records in distances from 1,500 meters to 20,000 meters. He also won 9 gold medals in the Olympic Games of 1920, 1924, and 1928. At the 1924 Games, he won 5 gold medals, a record in track and field. Over his career, he won 12 Olympic medals in 7 events, including gold medals in 6 events. Both achievements also represent Olympic records in track and field.