Ilmari R. Salminen (21 September 1902 – 5 January 1986) was a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

long-distance runner, winner of the

10,000 metres The 10,000 metres or the 10,000-metre run is a common long-distance track running event. The event is part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and is common at championship level events. The race ...

at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...

. Salminen became one of the best long-distance runners in the 1930s when he began his international athletics career in 1934 by winning the 10,000 m and taking bronze in

5000 m The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to or . It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a stand ...

at the first European Championships in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

, thus becoming a main favorite at the Olympic 10,000 m run. On the first day of competitions in the

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

Olympics, Salminen won the 10,000 m final before compatriots

Arvo Askola Arvo Askola (2 December 1909, Valkeala – 23 November 1975) was a Finnish long-distance runner. He won silver medals in the 10,000 m event at the 1936 Olympics 1936 Olympics may refer to: *The 1936 Winter Olympics, which were held in Garmisc ...

and

Volmari Iso-Hollo Volmari "Vomma" Fritijof Iso-Hollo (5 January 1907 – 23 June 1969) was a Finnish runner. He competed at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics in the 3000 m steeplechase and 10000 m and won two gold, one silver and one bronze medals. Iso-Hollo was one of ...

. Salminen managed to hold off Askola by a margin of 0.2 seconds. In the 5000 m final a few days later, Salminen finished in sixth place. In the next season, Salminen ran a new 10,000 m world record of 30:05.6. He also ran a new world record in six miles. Salminen finished his international career by winning the gold medal in 10,000 m at the 1938 European Championships and retired from athletics after the next season. He later became a sports official and headed the organizing committee of the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...

in Helsinki.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Salminen, Ilmari 1902 births 1986 deaths People from Elimäki People from Uusimaa Province (Grand Duchy of Finland) Finnish male long-distance runners Olympic athletes of Finland Olympic gold medalists for Finland Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics World record setters in athletics (track and field) European Athletics Championships medalists Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Sportspeople from Kymenlaakso