The first of the legendary "Flying Finns", Hannes Kolehmainen's four gold medals marked the beginning of a victory streak by long-distance runners from Finland. Paavo Nurmi, Albin Stenroos, Ville Ritola and Volmari Iso-Hollo would follow in his tracks. In Stockholm Kolehmainen won the 10,000 meters by 46 seconds, and went on to a dramatic one-tenth of a second victory in the 5,000 meters. He won a third gold medal in the 12,000 cross-country race. During World War I Kolehmainen trained and raced in America. He returned for the 1920 Games in Antwerp to win the marathon. In 1952 he was honored with the privilege of lighting the Olympic flame at the Helsinki Games, after being handed the torch by fellow-Flying Finn, Paavo Nurmi.

Jim Thorpe died without knowing his Olympic title would one day be restored. The Pentathlon and Decathlon powerhouse of the 1912 Games had been stripped of his golds for violating the stringent amateur code when it was revealed that he had received money for playing baseball as a school boy. At the time, this was grounds for barring an athlete. The other medalists, both Swedish, refused on principle to have their medals upgraded. Thorpe's set of decathlon results were dramatic. His score would have won him a silver medal as late as 1948. Hosting monarch King Gustav of Sweden was so impressed by Thorpe that he dubbed him "The World's Greatest Athlete". "Thanks King!" was Thorpe's reply. Thorpe, a Native-American, was an outstanding all-around athlete. He was named a Collegiate All-American in 11 different sports. In 1982, 20 years after Thorpe's name was reinstated in the official Olympic winner's list, his medals were returned to his children.