A Quick Exit

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday today (Friday) to an athlete with five Olympic gold medals and three Olympic silver medals. Our birthday champion was also an AAU champion.

Born 117 years ago today, this famous athlete died at the age of 86. Two of the five Olympic gold medals came in events which are today discontinued.

This person not only won gold medals, but also set world records. You do have to think about hurdles when remembering this athlete.

Our birthday person defeated another great Olympic champion in winning one of the five gold medals. This other great Olympic champion once lit the Olympic flame at an Opening Ceremonies.

The first World Championships were held in the city where our birthday person died just about one year before these World Championships began.

Maybe not as famous as some fairly recent Olympic champions, but this athlete remains one of the best in our sport. Name our birthday athlete for today.

[LopenUupunut]

Ville Ritola

[DoubleRBar]

Yes, it is, LopenUupunut and happy birthday today to Ville Ritola, one of the all-time greats in Olympic distance history. I'm not very good with my Finnish, however I believe "Ottaa Ritolat" translates to something like "Pull a Ritola", which roughly means getting out quickly or a "quick exit". Nice job, LopenUupunut.