PAAVO NURMI’S WORLD RECORDS
(Approved by the IAAF)
EVENT
RECORD
VENUE AND DATE
BROKEN BY
1500m
3.52,6
Helsinki 19.6.1924
Otto Peltzer, Germany 1926
Mile
4.10,4
Stockholm 23.8.1923
Jules Ladoumègue, France 1931
2000m
5.26,3
Tampere 4.9.1922
Edvn Wide, Sweden 1925
2000m
5.24,6
Kuopio 18.6.1927
Eino Purje 1927
3000m
8.28,6
Turku 27.8.1922
Edvin Wide, Sweden 1925
3000m
8.25,4
Berlin 24.5.1926
Paavo Nurmi 1926
3000m
8.20,4
Stockholm 13.7.1926
Janusz Kusocinski, Poland 1932
2 miles*
8.59,6
Helsinki 24.7.1931
Donald Lash, USA 1936
3 miles*
14.11,2
Stockholm 24.8.1923
Lauri Lehtinen 1932
5000m
14.35,4
Stockholm 12.9.1922
Paavo Nurmi 1924
5000m
14.28,2
Helsinki 19.6.1924
Lauri Lehtinen 1932
4 miles*
19.15,4
Wiborg 1.10.1924
Janusz Kusocinski, Poland 1932
5 miles*
24.06,2
Wiborg 1.10.1924
The last officially approved WR; unofficial: Gordon Pirie, Great Britain 1953
6 miles*
29.36,4
London 8.6.1930
Ilmari Salminen 1937
10 000m
30.40,2
Stockholm 22.6.1921
Ville Ritola 1924
10 000m
30.06,2
Kuopio 31.8.1924
Ilmari Salminen 1937
15 000m
46.49,6
Berlin 7.10.1928
The last officially approved WR; unofficial: Volmari Iso-Hollo 1936
10 miles*
50.15,0
Berlin 7.10.1928
Viljo Heino 1945
20 000m
1.04.38,4
Stockholm 3.9.1930
Juan Carlos Zabala, Argentina 1936
One hour race
19 210 m
Berlin 7.10.1928
Viljo Heino 1945
4x1500m**
16.26,2
Stockholm 12.7.1926
Turun Urheiluliitto 1926
4x1500m**
16.11,4
Wiborg 17.7.1926
Great Britain 1931
* = World records of these events are no longer officially approved by the IAAF.
** = Finnish Club Team Turun Urheiluliitto. Nurmi ran the last leg in both relays.
During his tour of the United States in 1925 Paavo Nurmi made 29 unofficial indoor world records. However, the IAAF did not approve official indoor world records until 1987.
