June 9, 1930 – The “Flying Finn,” Paavo Nurmi ran 6 miles at a world record pace of 29:36.4. Just to place that into perspective, the current official world records in the 10,000 meters are held by Kenenisa Bekele with 26:17.53 minutes for men and Almaz Ayana from Ethiopia with 29:17.45 minutes for women.
The Finnish runner, Paavo back in his day dominated distance running in the early 20th century. Nurmi had at one point set 22 official world records at distances between 1500 meters and 20 kilometers! The great athlete also took home nine gold and three silver medals in his twelve events in the Summer Olympic Games he competed.
At his athletic peak, Nurmi was undefeated for 121 races at distances from 800 meters and longer. Throughout his 14-year career, he remained unbeaten in cross country events and the 10,000 meters.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
The Washington Redskins in the 1970s: A Trip Down Memory Lane
Right around this time last year, I wrote an article on the top eight
NFL’s Youngest Ever Player Might Surprise You!
From a personal standpoint, I truly love the game of football…and to write about
How Ohio Shaped The NFL: From The Birthplace To Rich Pro Football History
While today the great state of Ohio’s professional football teams are seen as something
NBA Player Heated Rivalries: Kevin Garnett vs. Tim Duncan
Some heated rivalries between players can simply be a case of bad blood that
Looking Back at the First Great Play of the 1970s: Tom Dempsey’s Epic Field Goal
The decade of the 1970s had numerous great plays in the NFL. Now this
The History and Future of Sports Gambling In Iowa – Looking at New Technologies and Possible Growth
Iowa has a long and distinguished history in sports. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes
The Early History of Sports Betting
In the eyes of many, sports betting is a relatively new phenomenon. A lot
Willis Brennan: The Chicago Cardinal Who Helped Solve One of America’s Most Notorious Crimes!
On November 6, 1927, a few thousand of his closest friends gathered to honor