Cross-country skier Iivo Niskasen hasn’t been in the habit of fitting himself into any mold when it comes to anything, and he doesn’t intend to do so when it comes to fatherhood either.
Iivo Niskanen is becoming a father during the ski season that has started. Even though the child is not yet born, this year’s Father’s Day in Olos during the holiday of the competition events already felt more meaningful.
– I hope everything goes well until the end. You already think about it in a slightly different way. In any case, a person is in the beginning and life does not begin until after the birth stage, Niskanen reflects.
Starting a family has been a champion skier’s dream.
– I’ve always known that I want a child, if that’s possible. I like doing things with children. I feel that I get a lot out of it myself, when I have seen the successes and development of other children.
– I don’t take having a child for granted. Of course, this is much more meaningful than achieving Olympic gold.
My own father gave responsibility and freedom
Niskanen sees that there is certainly a lot in the lessons he received from his own father that he doesn’t always know how to think about. The most important thing has been to be able to live a childhood where you were trusted and allowed to do things. He hopes to be able to pass them on himself as well.
– We have been taught that even at a young age you can take responsibility. Adopting such a parenting method can be challenging if you are too caring. In today’s world, that is not a given.
– I have to take my hat off to my own father for not having everything ready on the table, he smiles.
Among the national team skiers who have already finished their careers, there was often talk of increased fatigue when it came to parenting in previous years. Niskanen takes a relaxed, realistic approach to this.
– All children are different. There are things outside the sports bubble as well. Regarding the previous colleagues, it can be stated that the children gave a lot to life outside of sports. This can’t be just cross-country skiing.
Always better Niskanen
On the cross-country ski tracks, last season Iivo Niskanen achieved what he had been aiming for for two Olympics, the 15 km traditional Olympic gold. There is still a lot to overcome in the sport, but the biggest motivation for a multiple medalist can still be found in the sport and the man himself.
– The biggest fire is that I can develop myself. It is easier to win a single ski race than to achieve a long favorite position. I see that I have to be in the best shape possible and always be able to be better.
For the season that has started, many things in cross-country skiing will change. Among other things, trips are unified between women and men. In turn, the World Cup points calculation will be renewed so that the difference between the winner and the next places narrows. There will also be restrictions on maintenance and testing for certain races. All this is not necessarily in the mind of the Olympic champion.
– In the value competition year, the point calculation reform will at least take motivation in the other direction, because the top three in total points can now be a skier who is not really the best, but one who only skis a lot of competitions.
– According to the rules, of course, we go, but because of the points calculation, I myself don’t bet so much on the overall cup. I’m going to miss a weekend in order to be in the best shape for the World Cup.
Niskanen sees that constantly changing the sport is challenging for both the athletes and the public who follow the sport. He hopes that once the reforms have been made, they would now remain in place for as long as possible – especially when it comes to skiing trips.
– Personally, I am against the idea of changing the long traditions that our sport also has.
In February of next year, the world championships will be fought in Planica, Slovenia. So far, Niskanen has not accumulated too many good memories from the World Cup arena, even though the tracks should suit the Finn’s characteristics well.
– I’ve been there for two years at camp and I decided that I wouldn’t go there again in the fall. It rained so much. I once competed in Planica before the 2018 Olympics and then I fell. There are no favorite places, even though I like the track.