{{Short description|Finnish cross-country skier}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = | image = Sulo Nurmela 1937.jpg | image_size = | caption = Sulo Nurmela in 1937 | birth_name = | fullname = | nationality = | birth_date = 13 February 1908 | birth_place = Onkamaa, Miehikkälä, Finland | death_date = 13 August 1999 (aged 91) | death_place = Hamina, Finland | height = 173 cm | weight = 62–69 kg | country = | sport = Cross-country skiing | event = | pb = | club = Vehkaladen Veikot | retired = | olympics = | highestranking = | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's cross-country skiing }} {{MedalCountry|{{FIN}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}} {{MedalGold|1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen|4 × 10 km relay}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships}} {{MedalGold|1934 Sollefteå| 18 km}} {{MedalGold|1934 Sollefteå| 4 × 10 km relay}} {{MedalGold|1935 Vysoké Tatry| 4 × 10 km relay}} }} '''Sulo Nurmela''' (13 February 1908 – 13 August 1999) was a Finnish cross-country skier. He won a gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics in the 4 × 10 km relay and served as the Finnish flag bearer at those games.<ref name=sr/><ref name=sr2/>
Nurmela won two world titles in 1934: in the individual 18 km and 4 × 10 km relay events. While traveling to Czechoslovakia to the next world championships he became ill with a high fever and had to withdraw from his individual races. Yet he felt obliged to compete in the relay, as Finland had sent only four skiers, and there was no substitute. His first three teammates gained a two-minute lead, and Nurmela managed to finish more than a minute ahead of the competitors and win his third world title.<ref name=sr/>
Nurmela won three races in the Lahti Ski Games: 17 km in 1934 and 1937 and 50 km in 1937. He retired after placing eighth over 50 km at the 1938 World Championships. He worked as a farmer most of his life.<ref name=sr/>
==Cross-country skiing results== All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).<ref name="FISprofile">{{cite web |url=https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/athlete-biography.html?sector=CC&competitorid=44143&type=st-WC |title=NURMELA Sulo |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=FIS-Ski |publisher=International Ski Federation |access-date=29 January 2020}}</ref>
===Olympic Games=== * 1 medal – (1 gold) {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center; background:#ffffff;" ! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:60px;"| Year ! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:40px;"| Age ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 18 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 50 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 4 × 10 km <br> relay |- | 1936 || ''28'' || 7 || — || style="background:gold;"| '''Gold''' |- |}
===World Championships=== * 3 medals – (3 gold) {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center; background:#ffffff;" ! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:60px;"| Year ! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:40px;"| Age ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 18 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 50 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 4 × 10 km <br> relay |- | 1934 || ''26'' ||style="background:gold;"|'''Gold'''||— ||style="background:gold;"|'''Gold''' |- | 1935 || ''27'' ||— ||— ||style="background:gold;"|'''Gold''' |- | 1938 || ''30'' ||— ||8 ||— |- |}
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=sr>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417054934/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/nu/sulo-nurmela-1.html Sulo Nurmela]. Sports Reference</ref> <ref name=sr2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417040833/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/FIN/ Finland]. Sports Reference</ref> }}
==External links== *{{FIS cross-country skier|44143}} *{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026055117/http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=NURMESUL01 |date=26 October 2007 |title=Sulo Nurmela at databaseOlympics}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions XC Relay Men}} {{Footer World Champions XC 15km Men}} {{Footer World Champions XC Relay Men}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nurmela, Sulo}} Category:1908 births Category:1999 deaths Category:People from Miehikkälä Category:Sportspeople from Viipuri Province (Grand Duchy of Finland) Category:Finnish male cross-country skiers Category:Cross-country skiers at the 1936 Winter Olympics Category:Olympic medalists in cross-country skiing Category:FIS Nordic World Ski Championships medalists in cross-country skiing Category:Medalists at the 1936 Winter Olympics Category:Olympic gold medalists for Finland Category:Skiers from Kymenlaakso Category:20th-century Finnish sportsmen
{{Finland-crosscountry-skiing-bio-stub}} {{Finland-Winter-Olympic-medalist-stub}}