Sport Athletics Role Runner Event(s) 5000 m, 10000 m Height 1.81 m | Club Kouvolan Urheilijat Weight 66 kg Name Ilmari Salminen | |
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Born 21 September 1902 Elimaki, Finland Personal best(s) 5000 m – 14:22.0 (1939)
10000 m – 30:05.5 (1937) Died January 5, 1986, Kouvola, Finland Olympic medals Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics - Men's 10000 metres | ||
Berlin 1936 men's 10000m
Ilmari R. Salminen (21 September 1902 – 5 January 1986) was a Finnish long-distance runner, winner of the 10,000 metres at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
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 at the first European Championships in Turin, thus becoming a main favorite at the Olympic 10,000 m run.
At the Berlin Olympics, Salminen, at first took the sixth place at the 5000 m final. On the next day, Salminen won against Arvo Askola and Volmari Iso-Hollo, two other Finns, in the 10,000 m final, winning only by 0.2 seconds.
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 in Helsinki.