Comment | Martti Puumalainen’s performance slowed down, but good things are happening in the background

Paris

Martti Puumalainen naked and sweaty skin was visible under the competition outfit, i.e. judogi, when he walked disappointedly to the Finnish media in the judo arena of the Olympic Games.

Every drop of sweat was worth the effort, even though the Azerbaijani opponent beat the Finn in less than three minutes.

It was a big disappointment. Expectations were high, and above all for Puumainen himself.

Judo is a delicate and heavy sport at the same time. A moment’s excitement can end in defeat in an instant, as happened to Puumalainen.

In advance, Puumalainen was one of the few medal hopefuls at the Olympic Games. That’s how he had figured it out himself. As a judoka, he is at the age of 27.

In Paris, it would have been a good opportunity to reap the fruits of the four sweatiest years of training.

Previously, Puumalainen competed in the category under one hundred kilograms, for which he started to be too heavy. In the fall of 2018, he changed to more than a hundred kilos.

“I had to weigh a lot to start gaining more mass. I believed that I would be strong and big enough for this series,” says Puumalainen.

“

Puumalainen and Saha, heartbroken by their losses, will make sure that the Olympic representation continues.

Massaa Puumalainen will have to keep it big for years to come. The career will continue until at least the next Olympic Games until 2028.

Judo The man from Puuma has been playing since he was six years old and has therefore been practicing the sport for twenty years. He has also played floorball, swimming and orienteering, so as an athlete he is very versatile.

Although there was no success, Puumalainen and Luukas Saha broke the eight-year dry season of Finnish judo at the Olympic Games. Previously, Finland was represented in Olympic judo in all games between 1972 and 2016.

Since 1972, judo has been continuously on the Olympic program.

Puumalainen and Saha, heartbroken by their losses, will make sure that the Olympic representation continues.