Olympic Games Finnish medal heroes return home – Iivo Niskanen can finally relax: “Sauna to warm up and fish fillets in a pan”

Large A number of Finnish Olympic heroes returned to the Nordic soil on Friday. In the reception hall of Helsinki-Vantaa, a huge flock of athletes, fans and media representatives met the athletes.

At the top of the blue-and-white crowd, a Savo skier stepped through the sliding doors of the airport Iivo Niskanen30, with the entire straight line of Olympic medals smashed around his neck.

Although Niskanen, who has been touring the World Cup for almost a decade, is a used passenger, the Beijing race trip with its strict coronation offered the man a completely new kind of experience.

“It was a relief to get out of China with intact skin,” Niskanen laughed at the interview point.

In the same breath, he noted that operations at the Chinese airport were completely in a class of their own.

The greater part Olympic athletes jumped from Helsinki-Vantaa to their loved ones, but Niskan still had a flight to his hometown of Kuopio.

Although Niskanen fought for the bronze on his starting trip in cross-country skiing, his aim was always in the 15-kilometer traditional race.

When gold came out of it with a wild difference from the second Alexander BolshunovNiskanen ‘s long – term dream finally came true.

Now is the time to enjoy the results of your hard work.

“At home, I am the first to click to warm up and relax in the sauna. The Olympic clothing will be thrown on the balcony to ventilate for a short time, and then the Chinese dust will be shed later, ”the gold hero told STT.

“At home, put fish fillets in a pan. Everything had to be seen during China, but the food on the plane was already starting to taste different. ”

Niskanen will be able to enjoy the gold drug several times next week, as he will be celebrated in Vieremä on Tuesday and the celebrations will continue at the Olympic Stadium’s sprint skiing event in Helsinki on Thursday.

Niskanen said on Instagram on Thursday that he would skip the 50-kilometer race and head home from Beijing. In the same publication, he announced that he would continue his career until the 2026 Olympics.

Read more: Iivo Niskanen leaves the Olympic contract because of the “condition” of his lungs – Niskanen expressed his wish to his wife Saana: “It is starting to suffice”

“Go home to sit back and then turn your gaze toward the kingship of the next Olympics,” the ski hero wrote in his update.

In an interview with Sanomat, however, Niskanen did not want to speculate even more on the myth that had been waiting for them for four years.

“So far, I’ve been able to raise the level every year in the areas I’ve focused on.”

“It remains to be seen how I can develop [seuraavan neljän vuoden aikana]. ”

Beijing In the wake of a three-time Olympic medalist, a Vaasa-born stepped into the reception hall at Helsinki-Vantaa Joni Mäki27, who grabbed a pair of sprint silver along with Niskanen.

In an interview with Sanomat, Mäki said that he had been following Niskanen’s page for a long time. Achieving the Olympic medal together with Niskanen was described by Mäki as a rather great experience.

“Once this medal has been complained about around the neck, it has become more concrete that pretty big things have come to be done. It has been great to be part of Iivo’s saga. ”

The early season on the hill was somewhat difficult, but he managed to turn his fitness up to a suitable pre-Olympics.

“The handbrake was put on [alkukauden jälkeen]. We managed to build that condition at the right time and in the right place. There was good luck on the trip, ”Mäki said.

In the same breath, 27-year-old Mäki stated that he will hopefully be seen at the Olympics in four years.

“Yes, there are still good years of sustainability sports left.”

At the airport the Olympic heroes were met by the Minister of Science and Culture Antti Kurvinenwho thanked all the medalists for their contribution.

“Thank you for the tremendous work and sacrifices you and your loved ones have made, especially during the Corona,” he said.

Kurvinen described the Olympics as an event that unites the whole nation and stated that Olympic athletes are important role models for many children and young people.

“Your trip to Beijing has been an amazing experience for all of us Finns,” Kurvinen glowed in his speech.

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