Sorry to correct you, Malmo. I know it is very rare for you to make a mistake about track trivia. But Vatainen\'s last 400 meters in the 10,000 was 53.8. It\'s in the \"Dave Bedford Story,\" to cite just one source. (I did get Vatainen\'s finishing time wrong. I said 27:51, but it was actually 27:52.8.)
You\'re certainly right about Viren not being a factor in the 5,000 at Helsinki. And as you point out, the real challengers were Wadoux and Norpoth, who were famously great finishers who were overpowered by Vatainen\'s kick.
By the way, someone above mentioned Emiel Puttemans. He finished sixth in that race. (Puttemans was also in the 1968 Olympic 5,000, at the age of 20.)
http://62.232.35.140/athletics-heroes/stats_athletics/european/1971_m.asp
Vatainen made the Olympic final the following year in the 5,000, but he finished near the back with Dave Bedford. He was injured for most of that year and wasn\'t at peak fitness.