Paavo Edvard Kotila was a Finnish long-distance runner, Olympian, and three-time national champion in the marathon. Paavo Kotila (Finland) set the men's marathon world record of 2:18:04.8 in Finnish Athletics Championships, Pieksämäki, Finland on August 12, 1956. It stood 2 years, until Sergei Popov's 2:15:17.0 on August 24, 1958. Wiki link