Sports Park, Turku, August 26–27, 1922
Paavo Nurmi ran 3000 metres in 8:26.8 at the Turun Urheiluliitto games, shattering John Zander’s world record by nearly five seconds. Despite competing against his own club’s relay team, the record was officially ratified.
The celebrations continued in a one-mile handicap race, where Nurmi set a new Finnish record with a time of 4:19.1.
Meanwhile, Lauri Härö clocked 10.8 seconds in the 100 metres, but the result was not ratified as a national record. Erik Wilén dominated the 400 metres with a time of 50.8 seconds, which stood as the national best until late September, when he improved it to 50.4 seconds during the France-Finland competition. Akseli Neittamo, better known as a photographer for the Finnish Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, took second place with a personal best of 51.7 seconds.
Turun Sanomat, August, 27, 1922 (in Finnish)
Idrottsbladet, August 28, 1922 (in Swedish)
Suomen Urheilulehti, August 29,1922 (in Finnish)
Turun Sanomat, August 29,1922 (in Finnish)
Pyynikki Sports Field, Tampere, September 4, 1922
Paavo Nurmi, in peak form, was preparing to shatter the seemingly unbreakable 5000-metre world record. As a warm-up, he smashed the 3000-metre record in Turku on August 27 and followed it with a 2000-metre world record in Tampere a week later. Both previous records were held by Sweden’s John Zander.
Nurmi took the lead right from the start, setting a blistering pace. A Tampere Aamulehti newspaper reporter poetically described his run:
"From the outset, Nurmi surged ahead, maintaining a punishing speed. Only Kuopio’s Olympic athlete O. Rissanen tried to keep up for a couple of laps before he, too, had to relent. As the crowd showed their enthusiastic support, Nurmi ran with a determined and resolute expression. While Hannes’ running is graceful and flying, Nurmi’s is characterised by Finnish grit and power. Hannes’ style is universal; Nurmi’s is unmistakably Finnish. And these days, the results are always world records!”
Triple jump Olympic champion Vilho Tuulos also delivered an extraordinary performance on his home field, triple jumping 14.81 metres (48-6), clearing 1.80 metres (5-10) in the high jump, and leaping 7.02 metres (23-0 1/2) in the long jump, matching the Finnish record held by decathlon Olympic champion Eero Lehtonen.
Meanwhile, Vilho Niittymaa once again defeated Olympic discus champion Armas Taipale. Although results were slightly lower than at their earlier competition in Helsinki Eläintarha, the rivalry was fierce.
Aamulehti, September 5, 1922 (in Finnish)
Idrottsbladet, September 5, 1922 (in Swedish)
Suomen Urheilulehti, September 12, 1922 (in Finnish)