Lasse Virén, Finnish runner and police officer

Lasse Virén

Finnish long-distance runner, police officer, entrepreneur and politician

Lasse Artturi Virén is a Finnish former long-distance runner, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics. Virén recaptured the image of the "Flying Finns" promoted by runners like Hannes Kolehmainen, Paavo Nurmi and Ville Ritola in the 1920s. He was elected…