Evening star., 1925-02-09


Those warnings had to do with
lean competitors i'll the Stockholm I
The Firms entered the Stockholm
games determined TO make the best
possible showing in the events in
which they were proficient and de-
termined also to learn from foreign
athletes all they could of the less
familiar track and field contests, and
they looked to the Americans for
their best instruction. But in their
eagerneSs. earneStnesS and innocence
they We're made the subject of con-
siderable horse-p play. The practical
jokers among the Yankee athletes
gave them the weirdest of advice,
taught them field event form which
reduced rather than improved their skill,
and then Joined in many hearty
laugh at their expense. The Firms,
like most races, find no pleasure in
serving as the butt.
When the Finnish Olmypic team. OF
which Paavo was a member, came
to Antwerp in 1920. all its mem
bers kept to themselves-all except
Vile Porohla. Vile mixed with the
rival shot putters and, was duly
given and innocently followed some
unusual training instructions. But
Vile possessed sufficient natural
ability to beat the men who thought
they had foolen him.
The Duel of 5000 Meters.
This exclusiveness of the Finnish
team, however, prevented Paavo
from gaining further knowledge of
Joseph Guillemot, the French run
ner whom he believed he must de-
feat IL he was to duplicate the
trips Olympic triumph of Hannes
Ia n1nH H-rlai aif1p AC % n
tered the Olympic 5.000-meter run
on the second day Of the Antwerp
games of 1920 with no real knowl-
edge of his most feared rival.
That race had progressed but few
laps before it became apparent that
Nurmi and Guillemot were the real
rivals for the championship.
Paavo had decided to maintain a
fast clip, from the start and allow
conditions to govern his work as the
event progressed. He set out briskly
and early gained the lead. with Gull
lemot chugging at his heels. For
1000 meters the pair held the same
relative positions-Paavo setting the
pace and Guillemot trailing, and
other runners only a stride or two
behind. Then Guillemot opened up
with a squirt that carried him to the
front. That annoyed Paavo somewhat,
but he continued his. easy, even
stride, and when Guillemots squirt
was over Paavo was right behind him
and in a few seconds once again
took the lead.
on and on they continued, with
Guillemot a yard behind, but match
ing Paavo stride for stride. AS they
swung into the last lap the entire
stadium was on its feet. Such tight
racing in an event of SO great dis
VI nj
tition. The crowd sensed the real
battle for the prize was about to
come in that last circling of the
oval. The French and the Finnish
delegations led the shouting.
Guillemot was the first to respond
to the urgings of his countrymen
The forward lean of his body took
sharper angle; his failing arms in
creased their beat: his beautifully
muscled limbs took up the time and
before PaaVo realized what was hap
pening Guillemot had shot past him
and opened up five-yard lead.
They Were on the backstretch
when this occurred, some 800 meters
from home.
AS they approached the last turn
Paavo called upon his slender limbs
for the drive which he believed would
brlng him victory. Loud were the
shouts of the Finnish delegation as
PaaVo edged up on the Frenchman;
Still louder they grew as he caught
him and, veering bit to the right,
shot to the front by a margin of
three yards
The Firms believed and Paavo be-
neNed the race to be won, for the
runners were around the last turn
and swinging into the home stretch
Just 90 meters from the tape.
Last Defeat in Five Years,
But in the few seconds required
TO cover that distance, the seemingly
spent Guillemot found another burst
of speed, and Paavo. with the race
all but won, once more awakened TO
the realization the French runner was
challenging. Before Paavo could an
swer that challenge, Guillemot was
in front once more and the tape was
split across the FrenChman's breast
while Paavo was struggling gallant
ly to overcome him.
That defeat-incidentlly the last de-
feat Paavo was to suffer in five wears
robbed Paavo of his chance to du-
plicate Koiehmainen's triple victory of
1912, but Paavo did not lose heart.
lie had learned the ability of his
opponent, and opportunity for revenge
was only two days away. He real
lzed on that opportunity, for in much
A'N 'o4.N 'slhilti DIS pulilenOt mac
beaten him in the 5,000-meter run
Paavo whipped the Frenchman in the
IO.O0o-meter test, and then for good
measure Paavo ran Guillemot into
the ground 50 early in the cross
country run that the Frenchman
withdrew from the race
Those two victories and the second
place won in the 5000 made Paavo
the individual high scorer of the Ant
werD games and enabled Finland
with a team of only twenty three to
score as many first places as did the
United States with team of 1877
athletes.
Copyright. 1925, in United States. Canada
and Great Britain, by North American News
paper Alliance. Copyright (New York World,
Press Publishing Co. All rights reserved.)
TOmOrrOw-Nurmi's own choice of
his greatest races.