Hannes Kolehmainen

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Men's Athletics
Olympic medalist
Hannes Kolehmainen
Medal record
Gold	1912 Stockholm	5000 metres
Gold	1912 Stockholm	10000 metres
Gold	1912 Stockholm	Individual cross country
Gold	1920 Antwerp	Marathon
Silver	1912 Stockholm	Team cross country

Juho Pietari "Hannes" Kolehmainen (pronunciation (help·info)) (December 9, 1889 – January 11, 1966) was a Finnish long-distance runner. He is considered to be the first of a generation of great Finnish long distance runners, often named the "Flying Finns".

Kolehmainen, from a sportive family from Kuopio (his brothers Willy and Tatu were also strong long distance runners), was one of the stars of the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, winning three gold medals. His most memorable was the one in the 5000 m. In that event, he ran a heroic duel with Frenchman Jean Bouin. After leading the field together for most of the race, Bouin was only defeated by Kolehmainen in the final metres – in World Record time. In addition, Kolehmainen won the 10000 m and the now discontinued cross country event. With the Finnish team, he also obtained a silver place in the cross country team event.

At the time, Finland was still a part of Russia, and although there was a separate Finnish team at the Olympics, the Russian flag was raised for Kolehmainen's victories, making him say that he "almost wished he hadn't won".

Kolehmainen's sportive career was interrupted by the First World War, but he remained an athlete to be reckoned with, although his specialty had now shifted to the longer distances, especially the marathon. At the first post-war Olympics in Antwerp, he won the gold medal in this event. He would also enter the Olympic marathon in 1924, but Kolehmainen did not complete that race.

By then, Kolehmainen had found a worthy successor in Paavo Nurmi. Together with Nurmi, he lit the Olympic Flame at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He died in that same city, fourteen years later.

Olympic champions in men's 5000 m
1912: Hannes Kolehmainen \| 1920: Joseph Guillemot \| 1924: Paavo Nurmi \| 1928: Ville Ritola \| 1932: Lauri Lehtinen \| 1936: Gunnar Höckert \| 1948: Gaston Reiff \| 1952: Emil Zátopek \| 1956: Vladimir Kuts \| 1960: Murray Halberg \| 1964: Bob Schul \| 1968: Mohammed Gammoudi \| 1972: Lasse Virén \| 1976: Lasse Virén \| 1980: Miruts Yifter \| 1984: Saïd Aouita \| 1988: John Ngugi \| 1992: Dieter Baumann \| 1996: Vénuste Niyongabo \| 2000: Millon Wolde \| 2004: Hicham El Guerrouj

Olympic champions in men's 5000 m

Olympic champions in men's 5 miles and 10000 m
As five miles: 1906: Henry Hawtrey \| 1908: Emil Voigt
As 10000 metres: 1912: Hannes Kolehmainen \| 1920: Paavo Nurmi \| 1924: Ville Ritola \| 1928: Paavo Nurmi \| 1932: Janusz Kusociński \| 1936: Ilmari Salminen \| 1948: Emil Zátopek \| 1952: Emil Zátopek \| 1956: Vladimir Kuts \| 1960: Pyotr Bolotnikov \| 1964: Billy Mills \| 1968: Naftali Temu \| 1972: Lasse Virén \| 1976: Lasse Virén \|1980: Miruts Yifter \| 1984: Alberto Cova \| 1988: Brahim Boutayeb \| 1992: Khalid Skah \| 1996: Haile Gebrselassie \| 2000: Haile Gebrselassie \| 2004: Kenenisa Bekele

Olympic champions in men's 5 miles and 10000 m

As five miles: 1906: Henry Hawtrey | 1908: Emil Voigt