Champion runner Volmari Iso-Hollo was born on May 1, 1907 in Ylojarvi, Finland. Active in skiing, boxing, and gymnastics as a youth, Iso-Hollo took up running after joining the army. Volmari won his first international races in 1928 when he won both the 3,000 and 5,000 meter events at the 1928 Workers' Olympiad. Volmari won his first gold medal in the men's 3,000 meters steeplechase at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, California as well as a silver medal in the men's 10,000 meters at that same major competitive sports event. Iso-Hollo went on to not only win a second gold medal in the men's 3,000 meters steeplechase at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, Germany, but also won a bronze medal in the men's 10,000 meters at the 1936 Olympics. Moreover, Volmari was the winner of six Finnish titles throughout his athletic career: He won the 5,000 meters in 1933, the steeplechase in 1936, the cross country in both 1932 and 1936, and the team cross country in 1930 and 1933. Despite later being afflicted with rheumatism, Volmari nonetheless continued to compete up until 1945. Iso-Hollo died at age 62 on June 23, 1969 in Heinola, Finland.