 Salminen at the 1936 Olympics | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 September 1902 Elimäki, Finland, Russian Empire |
| Died | 5 January 1986 (aged 83) Kouvola, Finland |
| Height | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| Weight | 66 kg (146 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | 5000 m, 10000 m |
| Club | Kouvolan Urheilijat |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 5000 m – 14:22.0 (1939) 10000 m – 30:05.5 (1937)[1][2] |
Medal record | |
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.[1]
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.[1]
On the first day of competitions in the Berlin Olympics, Salminen won the 10,000 m final before compatriots Arvo Askola and Volmari Iso-Hollo. Salminen managed to hold off Askola by a margin of 0.2 seconds.[1] 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 in Helsinki.[1]
