Paavo Nurmi

Athletics, Finland. Nurmi won nine Olympic golds between 1920 and 1928. Individually he took the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 metres and cross-country titles, including the 1,500 and 5,000 within about an hour in Paris in 1924. He also won team golds in events that no longer exist, the team cross-country and the 3,000 metres team race, where his result counted towards Finland's score.