Editing Paavo Nurmi (section)

==Olympic career==

===1920–1924 Olympics===
[[File:Paavo Nurmi (Paris 1924).jpg|thumb|left|alt=refer to caption|Nurmi at the [[1924 Summer Olympics]]]]
Nurmi made his international debut in August at the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] in [[Antwerp]], Belgium.<ref name="Finnish Literature Society"/> He took his first medal by finishing second to Frenchman [[Joseph Guillemot]] in the [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres|5000 m]]. This would remain the only time that Nurmi lost to a non-Finnish runner in the Olympics.<ref name="Urheilumuseo"/> He went on to win gold medals in his other three events: the [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's 10,000 metres|10,000 m]], sprinting past Guillemot on the final curve and improving his personal best by over a minute,<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1920">{{cite web | title=Paavo Nurmi at the Olympic Games – Antwerp 1920 | work=The Sports Museum of Finland | url=https://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/PaavoNurmi2010/olympics.htm | access-date=25 November 2017 | archive-date=20 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020185226/http://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/paavonurmi2010/olympics.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref> the [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's individual cross country|cross country race]], beating Sweden's [[Eric Backman]], and the [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's team cross country|cross country team event]] where he helped [[Heikki Liimatainen (athlete)|Heikki Liimatainen]] and [[Teodor Koskenniemi]] defeat the British and Swedish teams. Nurmi's success brought electric lighting and running water for his family in Turku.<ref name="Paavo Nurmi's home"/> Nurmi, however, was given a scholarship to study at the Teollisuuskoulu industrial school in [[Helsinki]].<ref name="Finnish Literature Society"/>

Buoyed by his defeat to Guillemot, Nurmi's races became a series of experiments which he analyzed meticulously.{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=98}} Previously known for his blistering pace on the first few laps, Nurmi started to carry a stopwatch and spread his efforts more uniformly over the distance.{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=99}} He aimed to perfect his technique and tactics to a point where the performances of his rivals would be rendered meaningless.{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=98}} Nurmi set his first world record on the [[10,000 metres world record progression|10,000 m]] in [[Stockholm]] in 1921.<ref name="Records"/> In 1922, he broke the world records for the 2000 m, the [[Men's 3000 metres world record progression|3000 m]] and the [[5000 metres world record progression|5000 m]].{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=99}} A year later, Nurmi added the records for the [[1500 metres world record progression|1500 m]] and the [[Mile run world record progression|mile]].{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=99}} His feat of holding the world records for the mile, the 5000 m and the 10,000 m at the same time has not been matched by any other athlete before or since.<ref name="Urheilumuseo"/> Nurmi also tested his speed in the 800 m, winning the 1923 Finnish Championships with a new national record.<ref name="Elite Games"/> After excelling in mathematics,{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=97}} Nurmi graduated as an engineer in 1923 and returned home to prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games.<ref name="Paavo Nurmi's home"/><ref name="Finnish Literature Society"/>

Nurmi's trip to the [[1924 Summer Olympics]] was endangered by a knee injury in the spring of 1924, but he recovered and resumed training twice a day.<ref name="Elite Games"/> On 19 June, Nurmi tried out the 1924 Olympic schedule at the [[Eläintarha Stadium]] in Helsinki by running the 1500 m and the 5000 m inside an hour, setting new world records for both distances.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924">{{cite web | title=Paavo Nurmi at the Olympic Games – Paris 1924 | work=The Sports Museum of Finland | url=https://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/PaavoNurmi2010/olympics2.htm | access-date=25 November 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033437/https://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/PaavoNurmi2010/olympics2.htm | archive-date=1 December 2017 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 m final]] at the Olympics in [[Paris]], Nurmi ran the first 800 m almost three seconds faster.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> His only challenger, [[Ray Watson (athlete)|Ray Watson]] of the United States, gave up before the last lap and Nurmi was able to slow down and coast to victory ahead of [[Willy Schärer]], [[H. B. Stallard]] and [[Douglas Lowe (athlete)|Douglas Lowe]],<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> still breaking the Olympic record by three seconds.<ref name="Running Times">{{cite journal | journal=Running Times | first=Roger | last=Robinson | issue=Apr 2008 | title=The Greatest Races | page=48}}</ref> The [[Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres|5000 m]] final started in less than two hours, and Nurmi faced a tough challenge from countryman [[Ville Ritola]], who had already won the 3000 m steeplechase and the 10,000 m.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> Ritola and [[Edvin Wide]] figured that Nurmi must be tired and tried to burn him off by running at world-record pace.{{sfn|Sears|2001|p=214}}{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=174}} Realizing that he was now racing the two men and not the clock, Nurmi tossed his stopwatch onto the grass.{{sfn|Sears|2001|p=214}} The Finns later passed the Swede as his pace faded and continued their duel.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> On the home straight, Ritola sprinted from the outside but Nurmi increased his pace to keep his rival a metre behind.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/>

In the [[Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's individual cross country|cross country]] events, the heat of {{convert|45|°C|°F|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite web | title=Paavo Nurmi : makes the impossible possible | work=[[International Olympic Committee]] |url=http://www.olympic.org/content/news/media-resources/manual-news/1999-2009/2007/06/13/paavo-nurmi--makes-the-impossible-possible/ | date=13 June 2007 | access-date=2 May 2015}}</ref> caused all but 15 of the 38 competitors to abandon the race.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> Eight finishers were taken away on stretchers.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> One athlete began to run in tiny circles after reaching the stadium, until setting off into the stands and knocking himself unconscious.<ref name="The Guardian"/> Early leader Wide was among those who blacked out along the course, and was incorrectly reported to have died at the hospital.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|pp=177–178}}{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=111}} Nurmi exhibited only slight signs of exhaustion after beating Ritola to the win by nearly a minute and a half.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> As Finland looked to have lost the team medal, the disoriented Liimatainen staggered into the stadium, but was barely moving forward.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=179}} An athlete ahead of him fainted 50 metres from the finish, and Liimatainen stopped and tried to find his way off the track, thinking he had reached the finish line.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=179}} After having ignored shouts and kept the spectators in suspense for a while, he turned into the right direction, realised his situation and reached the finish in 12th place and secured team gold.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/>{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=179}} Those present at the stadium were shocked by what they had witnessed, and Olympic officials decided to ban cross country running from future Games.{{sfn|Lovesey|1968|p=112}}

In the [[Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres team race|3000 m team race]] on the next day, Nurmi and Ritola again finished first and second, and [[Elias Katz]] secured the gold medal for the Finnish team by finishing fifth.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/> Nurmi had won five gold medals in five events, but he left the Games embittered as the Finnish officials had allocated races between their star runners and prevented him from defending his title in the 10,000 m, the distance that was dearest to him.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1924"/><ref name="CNN"/> After returning to Finland, Nurmi set a 10,000 m world record that would last for almost 13&nbsp;years.<ref name="CNN">{{cite web | title=Paavo Nurmi | work=[[CNN]] |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/05/01/paavonurmi/index.html | date=7 July 2008 | access-date=1 August 2012}}</ref>  As of July 2024, this is the second-longest-standing world record for the men's&nbsp;10,000&nbsp;metres.  Kenenia Bekele's world record set in August&nbsp;2005 in [[Brussels]] stood for over 15&nbsp;years.  Nurmi now held the 1500&nbsp;metres, the mile, the 3,000&nbsp;metres, the 5,000&nbsp;metres and the 10,000&nbsp;metres world records simultaneously.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=417}}

===U.S. tour and 1928 Olympics===
[[File:Ray, Coolidge, Nurmi.jpg|thumb|right|alt=refer to caption|Nurmi, right, and [[Joie Ray (athlete)|Joie Ray]], left, with U.S. President [[Calvin Coolidge]] during Nurmi's 1925 U.S. tour]]
In early 1925, Nurmi embarked on a widely publicised tour of the United States. He competed in 55 events (45 indoors) during a five-month period, starting at a sold-out [[Madison Square Garden (1890)|Madison Square Garden]] on 6 January.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1925">{{cite web | title=The American Tour of 1925 | work=The Sports Museum of Finland | url=https://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/PaavoNurmi2010/america.htm | access-date=25 November 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111074208/http://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/paavonurmi2010/america.htm | archive-date=11 January 2017 | url-status=dead }}</ref> His debut was a copy of his feats in Helsinki and Paris.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1925"/> Nurmi defeated [[Joie Ray (athlete)|Joie Ray]] and [[Lloyd Hahn]] to win the mile and Ritola to win the 5000 m, again setting new world records for both distances.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1925"/> Nurmi broke ten more indoor world records in regular events and set several new best times for rarer distances.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1925"/> He won 51 of the events, abandoned one race and lost two handicap races along with his final event; a half-mile race at the [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]], where he finished second to American track star [[Alan Helffrich]].<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1925"/><ref name="Meriden">{{cite news | newspaper=[[Record-Journal|The Meriden Daily Journal]] | title=Alan Helffrich Hands Paavo Nurmi His First Defeat in Five Years | date=27 May 1925 | page=8 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bbhIAAAAIBAJ&pg=1640,217515&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=18 August 2012}}</ref> Helffrich's victory ended Nurmi's 121-race, four-year win streak in individual scratch races at distances from 800 m upwards.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|pp=433–439}} Although he hated losing more than anything,<ref>{{cite web | first1=Veli-Matti | last1=Autio | first2=Roderich | last2=Fletcher | title=Nurmi, Paavo (1897–1973) | work=[[Finnish Literature Society]] |url=http://www.kansallisbiografia.fi/english/?id=1786 | access-date=18 August 2012}}</ref> Nurmi was the first to congratulate Helffrich.<ref name="Meriden"/> The tour made Nurmi extremely popular in the United States, and the Finn agreed to meet President [[Calvin Coolidge]] at the White House.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | title=Coolidge Talks With Nurmi As They Pose for Pictures | date=22 February 1925 | page=1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1925/02/22/archives/coolidge-talks-with-nurmi-as-they-pose-for-pictures.html | access-date=18 August 2012}}</ref> Nurmi left America fearing that he had competed too often and burned himself out.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Sun Journal (Lewiston)|The Lewiston Daily Sun]] | title=Nurmi says he's never coming back to America | date=21 May 1925 | page=1 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zLEgAAAAIBAJ&pg=5024,3836201&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=18 August 2012}}</ref>

Nurmi struggled to maintain motivation for running, heightened by his [[rheumatism]] and [[Achilles tendon]] problems.<ref name="Finnish Literature Society"/> He quit his job as a machinery [[Drafter|draughtsman]] in 1926 and began studying business intensively.<ref name="Finnish Literature Society"/> As Nurmi started a new career as a share dealer, his financial advisors included [[Risto Ryti]], director of the [[Bank of Finland]].<ref name="Finnish Literature Society"/> In 1926, Nurmi broke Wide's world record for the 3000 m in [[Berlin]] and then improved the record in Stockholm,{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=417}} despite [[Nils Eklöf]] repeatedly trying to slow his pace down in an effort to aid Wide.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=258}} Nurmi was furious at the Swedes and vowed never to race Eklöf again.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=259}} In October 1926, he lost a 1500 m race along with his world record to Germany's [[Otto Peltzer]].<ref name="The Guardian 2008"/> This marked the first time in over five years and 133 races that Nurmi had been defeated at a distance over 1000 m.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|pp=433–439}} In 1927, Finnish officials barred him from international competition for refusing to run against Eklöf at the [[Finland-Sweden athletics international|Finland-Sweden international]], cancelling the Peltzer rematch scheduled for [[Vienna]].{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|pp=259–260}} Nurmi ended his season and threatened, until late November, to withdraw from the [[1928 Summer Olympics]].{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|pp=260–262}} At the 1928 Olympic trials, Nurmi was left third in the 1500 m by eventual gold and bronze medalists [[Harri Larva]] and [[Eino Purje]], and he decided to concentrate on the longer distances.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=269}} He added steeplechase to his program, although he had only tried the event twice before,{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=269}} the latest being a two-mile steeplechase victory at the 1922 British Championships.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=428}}

At the 1928 Olympics in [[Amsterdam]], Nurmi competed in three events. He won the [[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 10,000 metres|10,000 m]] by staying right behind Ritola until sprinting past him on the home straight.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928">{{cite web | title=Paavo Nurmi at the Olympic Games – Amsterdam 1928 | work=The Sports Museum of Finland | url=https://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/PaavoNurmi2010/olympics3.htm | access-date=25 November 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201040525/https://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/PaavoNurmi2010/olympics3.htm | archive-date=1 December 2017 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Before the [[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 5000 metres|5000 m]] final, Nurmi injured himself in his qualifying heat for the [[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase|3000 m steeplechase]].<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> He fell on his back at the water jump, spraining his hip and foot.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> [[Lucien Duquesne]] stopped to help him up, and Nurmi thanked the Frenchman by pacing him past the field and offered him the heat win, which Duquesne gracefully refused.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> In the 5000 m, Nurmi tried to repeat his move on Ritola but had to watch his teammate pull away instead.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> Nurmi, looking more exhausted than ever before, only barely managed to keep Wide behind and take silver.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> Nurmi had little time to rest or nurse his injuries as the 3000 m steeplechase started the next day.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> Struggling with the hurdles, Nurmi let Finland's steeplechase specialist [[Toivo Loukola]] escape into the distance.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> On the final lap, he sprinted clear of the others and finished nine seconds behind the world-record setting Loukola; Nurmi's time also bettered the previous record.<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/> Although Ritola did not finish, [[Ove Andersen (athlete)|Ove Andersen]] completed a Finnish [[List of medal sweeps in Olympic athletics|sweep of the medals]].<ref name="Urheilumuseo 1928"/>

===Move to longer distances===
[[File:Paavo Nurmi checks his stopwatch in 1928.jpg|thumb|left|alt=refer to caption|Nurmi checks his stopwatch in 1928]]
Nurmi stated to a Swedish newspaper that "this is absolutely my last season on the track. I am beginning to get old. I have raced for fifteen years and have had enough of it."<ref name="Urheilumuseo"/> However, Nurmi continued running, turning his attention to longer distances. In October, he broke the world records for the 15&nbsp;km, the 10 miles and the [[one hour run]] in [[Berlin]].<ref name="Records"/> Nurmi's one-hour record stood for 17 years, until [[Viljo Heino]] ran 129 metres further in 1945.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Ottawa Citizen]] | title=Nurmi Mark Has Been Bettered | date=2 October 1945 | page=15 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19451002&id=yiQzAAAAIBAJ&pg=4956,326982 | access-date=18 August 2012}}</ref> In January 1929, Nurmi started his second U.S. tour from [[Brooklyn]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Frank | last=Getty | newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Press|The Pittsburgh Press]] | title=Paavo Nurmi runs tonight in Brooklyn | date=19 January 1929 | page=1 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dEsbAAAAIBAJ&pg=5557,1242968&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=18 August 2012}}</ref> He suffered his first-ever defeat in the mile to [[Ray Conger]] at the indoor [[Wanamaker Mile]].<ref name="The Day">{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Day (New London)|The Day]] | title=Conger Beats Paavo Nurmi in Mile Run | date=11 February 1929 | page=8 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZqctAAAAIBAJ&pg=5151,3938971&dq=nurmi&hl=en | access-date=22 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | title=Ray Conger Named Coach; Noted Track Star to Direct the Teams at Penn State | date=24 December 1942 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1942/12/24/archives/ray-conger-named-coach-noted-track-star-to-direct-the-teams-at-penn.html | access-date=22 August 2012}}</ref> Nurmi was seven seconds slower than in his world record run in 1925,<ref name="The Day"/> and it was immediately speculated if the mile had become too short a distance for him.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|The Milwaukee Journal]] | title=Paavo May Quit Mile Run | date=11 February 1929 | page=2 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YqxQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5815,2378948&dq=nurmi&hl=en | access-date=22 August 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1930, he set a new world record for the 20&nbsp;km.<ref name="Records"/> In July 1931, Nurmi showed he still had pace for the shorter distances by beating [[Lauri Lehtinen]], [[Lauri Virtanen]] and [[Volmari Iso-Hollo]], and breaking the world record on the now-rare [[two miles]].<ref name="The Milwaukee Journal">{{cite news | newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|The Milwaukee Journal]] | title=Paavo Nurmi Sets Record | date=25 July 1931 | page=10 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pLVQAAAAIBAJ&pg=4499,2816239&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=19 August 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first=Roberto | last=Quercetani | year=1964 | title=A World History of Track and Field Athletics | url=https://archive.org/details/worldhistoryoftr0000quer | url-access=registration | publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] | page=[https://archive.org/details/worldhistoryoftr0000quer/page/139 139] }}</ref> He was the first runner to complete the distance in less than nine minutes.<ref name="The Milwaukee Journal"/> Nurmi planned to compete only in the 10,000 m and the marathon in the [[1932 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles, stating that he "won't enter the 5000 metres for Finland has at least three excellent men for that event."<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Sun Journal (Lewiston)|The Lewiston Daily Sun]] | title=Paavo Nurmi on Finnish team of 25 for Olympics | date=29 December 1931 | page=8 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lMAgAAAAIBAJ&pg=5721,7249297&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=19 August 2012}}</ref>

In April 1932, the executive council of the [[International Association of Athletics Federations|International Amateur Athletics Federation]] (IAAF) suspended Nurmi from international athletics events pending an investigation into his amateur status by the Finnish Athletics Federation.<ref name="St. Petersburg Times">{{cite news | newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times|St Petersburg Times]] | title=Finns Aroused by Nurmi Suspension | date=4 April 1932 | page=7 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tLgwAAAAIBAJ&pg=5140,3528245&dq=paavo+nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> The Finnish authorities criticized the IAAF for acting without a hearing,<ref name="St. Petersburg Times"/> but agreed to launch an investigation. It was customary of the IAAF to accept the final decision of its national branch,<ref name="Telegraph Herald">{{cite news | newspaper=[[Telegraph Herald]] | title=Paavo Nurmi Cleared of Pro Charges, to Marry | date=11 April 1932 | page=9 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o75FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4676,440379&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> and the [[Associated Press]] wrote that "there is little doubt that if the Finnish federation clears Nurmi the international body will accept its decision without question."<ref name="St. Petersburg Times"/> A week later, the Finnish Athletics Federation ruled in favor of Nurmi, finding no evidence for the allegations of professionalism.<ref name="Telegraph Herald"/> Nurmi was hopeful that his suspension would be lifted in time for the Games.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Windsor Star|The Border Cities Star]] | title=Nurmi Hopes To Run in Olympics | date=8 June 1932 | page=2 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cA0_AAAAIBAJ&pg=2733,3590465&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Paavo Nurmi runs marathon in 1932.jpg|thumb|alt=refer to caption|Nurmi running his first and only "Short" marathon {{convert|40.2|km|mi|abbr=on}}at the 1932 Olympic trials in [[Viipuri]]]]
On 26 June 1932 Nurmi started his first marathon at the Olympic trials. Not drinking a drop of liquid, he ran the old-style 'short marathon' of {{convert|40.2|km|mi|abbr=on}} in 2:22:03.8 – on the pace to finish in about 2:29:00,<ref name="The Olympic Marathon">{{cite book | first1=David E. | last1=Martin | first2=Roger W. H. | last2=Gynn | year=2000 | title=The Olympic Marathon | publisher=Human Kinetics | pages=[https://archive.org/details/olympicmarathon00mart/page/148 148–149] | isbn=978-0880119696 | url=https://archive.org/details/olympicmarathon00mart/page/148 }}</ref> just under [[Albert Michelsen]]'s [[Marathon world record progression|marathon world record]] of 2:29:01.8. At the time, he led [[Armas Toivonen]], the eventual Olympic bronze medalist, by six minutes.<ref name="Top Distance Runners">{{cite book | first=Seppo | last=Luhtala | year=2002 | title=Top Distance Runners of the Century | publisher=Meyer & Meyer Verlag | page=[https://archive.org/details/topdistancerunne0000unse/page/13 13] | isbn=978-1841260693 | url=https://archive.org/details/topdistancerunne0000unse/page/13 }}</ref> Nurmi's time was the new unofficial world record for the short marathon.<ref name="San Jose News">{{cite news | newspaper=[[San Jose News]] | title=Paavo Nurmi Claims Mark | date=27 June 1932 | page=2 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zg0iAAAAIBAJ&pg=4138,5150925&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=19 August 2012}}</ref> Confident that he had done enough, Nurmi stopped and retired from the race owing to problems with his Achilles tendon.<ref name="The Olympic Marathon"/> The [[Finnish Olympic Committee]] entered Nurmi for both the 10,000 m and the marathon.<ref>{{cite news | first=Alan | last=Gould | newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Sentinel]] | title=U.S. opposes blanket law under I.A.A.F. | date=23 July 1932 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3SpQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6514,3255240&dq=nurmi&hl=en | page=14 | access-date=22 August 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that "some of his trial times were almost unbelievable,"<ref name="The Guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/may/18/50-stunning-olympic-moments-paavo-nurmi |title=50 stunning Olympic moments No31: Paavo Nurmi wins 5000m in 1924 |date=18 May 2012 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |first=Simon |last=Burnton}}</ref> and Nurmi went on to train at the Olympic Village in Los Angeles despite his injury.<ref name="Urheilumuseo"/> Nurmi had set his heart on ending his career with a marathon gold medal, as Kolehmainen had done shortly after the First World War.{{sfn|Sears|2001|p=216}}

===1932 Olympics and later career===
Less than three days before the [[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 10,000 metres|10,000 m]], a special commission of the IAAF, consisting of the same seven members that had suspended Nurmi, rejected the Finn's entries and barred him from competing in Los Angeles.<ref name="Telegraph Herald 2">{{cite news | first=Alan | last=Gould | newspaper=[[Telegraph Herald]] | title=Paavo Nurmi barred from Olympic meet | date=29 July 1932 | page=11 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kONFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3666,6782915&dq=nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> [[Sigfrid Edström]], the Swedish chairman of the Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations (s.o. the board of directors), pushed independently and without receiving the support of the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations for a decision to ban Nurmi from participating in the Los Angeles Olympics at the IAAF board meeting without consulting the Finnish Sports Federation (SUL) and Nurmi on 3.4.<ref>Nurmi uncompetitive. Helsingin Sanomat, 4.4.1932, p. 1. HS Aikakone (for subscribers only). Retrieved 2021-09-24.</ref> and 7/30/1932.<ref>Nurmi is not allowed to run at the Olympics. Helsingin Sanomat, 30.7.1932, p. 4. HS Aikakone (subscribers only). Retrieved 2021-09-24.</ref> [The rules for disqualification of an athlete were made only after the Olympics at the Congress (General Assembly) of the International Sports Federation (IAAF), where Edström and Bo Ekelund, secretary of the council, represented Sweden. The report for Nurmi's ban came from [[Avery Brundage]], president of the American Sports Federation.]<ref>The truth about the Nurmi story and how to drive it in America. Helsingin Sanomat, 8.9.1932, p. 4, 7. HS Aikakone (subscribers only). Retrieved 2021-09-24.</ref><ref>The truth about the Nurmi story and how to drive it in America. Helsingin Sanomat, 9.9.1932, p. 4. HS Aikakone (for subscribers only). Retrieved 2021-09-24.</ref>
Edström stated that the full congress of the IAAF, which was scheduled to start the next day, could not reinstate Nurmi for the Olympics but merely review the phases and political angles related to the case.<ref name="Telegraph Herald 2"/> The AP called this "one of the slickest political maneuvers in international athletic history", and wrote that the Games would now be "like Hamlet without the celebrated Dane in the cast."<ref name="Reading Eagle">{{cite news | newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]] | title=Great Nurmi barred from Olympic Games as teams prepare for big carnival | date=29 July 1932 | page=19 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e-MxAAAAIBAJ&pg=3775,4294563&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> Thousands protested against the action in Helsinki.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Vancouver Sun]] | title=Finns Are Fretful Over Nurmi's Case | date=30 July 1932 | page=16 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Iy5lAAAAIBAJ&pg=4960,3056935&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> Details of the case were not released to the press, but the evidence against Nurmi was believed be the sworn statements from German race promoters that Nurmi had received $250–500 per race when running in Germany in autumn 1931.<ref name="Reading Eagle"/> The statements were produced by [[Karl Ritter von Halt]], after Edström had sent him increasingly threatening letters warning that if evidence against Nurmi were not provided he would be "unfortunately obliged to take stringent action against the [[Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband|German Athletics Association]]."{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=280}} The IOC did not follow their own rules for disqualification for not being a non-amateur Olympic participant. The rulebook for the 1912&nbsp;Olympics stated that protests had to be made "within 30&nbsp;days from the closing ceremonies of the games."<ref>["usoc"]</ref>

On the eve of the [[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon|marathon]], all the entrants of the race except for the Finns, whose positions were known, filed a petition asking Nurmi's entry to be accepted.<ref name="HS 1932">{{cite news | first=Urho | last=Kekkonen | author-link=Urho Kekkonen | newspaper=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] | title=Totuus Nurmen jutusta ja sen ajamisesta Amerikassa | trans-title=The truth about Nurmi's story and how things were handled in America | date=9 September 1932 |url=http://www.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/11344/TMP.objres.4306.html?sequence=1 | access-date=20 August 2012 | language=fi}}</ref> Edström's right-hand man [[Bo Ekelund]], secretary general of the IAAF and head of the Swedish Athletics Federation, approached the Finnish officials and stated that he might be able to arrange for Nurmi to participate in the marathon outside the competition.<ref name="HS 1932"/> However, Finland maintained that as long as the athlete is not declared a professional, he must have the right to participate in the race officially.<ref name="HS 1932"/> Although he had been diagnosed with a pulled Achilles tendon two weeks earlier,<ref>{{cite news | first=Arthur J. | last=Daley  | author-link=Arthur Daley (sportswriter) | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | title=Nurmi Is Ordered to Rest His Leg; Dr. Martin Diagnoses Injury to Finnish Runner as a Pulled Achilles Tendon | date=21 July 1932 | page=20 |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0F1EF93A5A13738DDDA80A94DF405B828FF1D3 | access-date=22 August 2012}}</ref> Nurmi stated he would have won the event by five minutes.<ref name="Urheilumuseo"/> The congress concluded without Nurmi being declared a professional, but the council's authority to disbar an athlete was upheld on a 13–12 vote.<ref name="Reading Eagle 2">{{cite news | newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]] | title=Paavo Nurmi probably through as amateur | date=10 August 1932 | page=9 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rZghAAAAIBAJ&pg=3932,1305594&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> However, due to the close vote, the matter was postponed until the 1934 meet in [[Stockholm]].<ref name="Reading Eagle 2"/> Finns charged that the Swedish officials had used devious tricks in their campaign against Nurmi's amateur status,<ref name="HS 2008">{{cite news | newspaper=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] | title=Finland and Sweden renew old rivalry on the athletics track this weekend | date=29 August 2008 | url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finland+and+Sweden+renew+old+rivalry+on+the+athletics+track+this+weekend/1135239039050 | access-date=20 August 2012 | archive-date=11 June 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611035901/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finland+and+Sweden+renew+old+rivalry+on+the+athletics+track+this+weekend/1135239039050 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and ceased all athletic relations with Sweden.<ref>{{cite news | first=Juhani | last=Jalava | newspaper=[[Turun Sanomat]] | title=1925–1935: Yleisurheilu sai Suomen liikkeelle | trans-title=1925–1935: Athletics got the Finnish launch | date=15 March 2005 | url=http://www.ts.fi/erikoissivut/ts+100/1905-2005/1074031520/19251935+Yleisurheilu+sai+Suomen+liikkeelle | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130213102100/http://www.ts.fi/erikoissivut/ts+100/1905-2005/1074031520/19251935+Yleisurheilu+sai+Suomen+liikkeelle | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 February 2013 | access-date=16 September 2012 | language=fi }}</ref> A year earlier, controversies on the track and in the press had led Finland to withdraw from the [[Finland-Sweden athletics international]].{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=289}} After Nurmi's suspension, Finland did not agree to return to the event until 1939.<ref name="HS 2008"/>

Nurmi refused to turn professional,<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The StarPhoenix|Saskatoon Star-Phoenix]] | title=Won't Turn | date=28 December 1932 | page=10 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y6dkAAAAIBAJ&pg=2210,5665322&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> and continued running as an amateur in Finland.<ref name="Urheilumuseo"/> In 1933, he ran his first 1500 m in three years and won the national title with his best time since 1926.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=421}}{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=443}} At the IAAF meet in August 1934, Finland launched two proposals that lost.<ref name="Schenectady Gazette">{{cite news | newspaper=[[The Daily Gazette|Schenectady Gazette]] | title=Athletic Union Denies Nurmi Amateur Rank | date=29 August 1934 | page=14 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xRsqAAAAIBAJ&pg=3464,6506308&dq=paavo-nurmi&hl=en | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> The council then brought forward its resolution empowering it to suspend athletes that it finds in violation of the IAAF amateur code.<ref name="Schenectady Gazette"/> With a 12–5 vote, with many not voting, Nurmi's suspension from international amateur athletics became definite.<ref name="Schenectady Gazette"/> Less than three weeks later, Nurmi retired from running with a 10,000 m victory in [[Viipuri]] on 16 September 1934.<ref name="Urheilumuseo"/> Nurmi remained undefeated in the distance throughout his 14-year top-level career.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=426}} In cross country running, his win streak lasted 19 years.{{sfn|Raevuori|1997|p=427}}