Eino Purje

Born into a poor farming family Eino Purje first became a solider who fought during the Finnish Civil War in 1918. After the war Purje turned his focus to middle-distance running and set several club records with the Finnish Workers’ Sports Federation (TUL). In 1925 he competed at the International Workers’ Olympiad, an alternative event to the Olympics set up by the Socialist Workers’ Sport International. At the 1925 Olympiad in Frankfurt am Main in Germany, Purje won the 800, 1,500, and 3,000 metres titles.

In 1926 Purje transferred from the TUL to Helsingin Kisa-Veikot (HKV), a controversial move after the Civil War that resulted in him receiving death threats. As a representative of KHV, Purje was able to compete at a higher level including at the Kaleva Games and the Olympics. At the Finnish athletics championships he won three gold medals in the 1,500 metres (1928, 1930–31). In 1928 Purje won bronze in the 1,500 metres when he finished third at the Amsterdam Olympics. Four years later he tried to repeat his Olympic success but failed to finish in the final of the 1,500 metres at the 1932 Los Angeles Games.

Personal Bests: 1500 – 3:53.1 (1928); 5000 – 14:39.3 (1928).