The hard-working Iivo Niskanen will not compete in the 50-kilometer ski race at the Beijing Olympics. According to Sports expert Jussi Piirainen, Niskanen would not necessarily have reached the medal race on the way.
ZHANGJIAKOU. Iivo Niskanen will not compete on the final trip of the Beijing Olympics in the men’s 50 kilometers of free skiing.
– For my part, the competitions in the Chinese frosts have come to an end. It was a pleasure to compete, perhaps even in the best shape of my career, and get home straight medals. Niskanen wrote to go home and then turn his gaze towards the kingship of the next Olympics.
Niskanen had hinted at skipping the race at a press conference after Wednesday’s parprint silver. Niskanen said his larynx must have been quite irritated by the “riot” of the pair sprint.
Sports Expert Jussi Piirainen according to Niskanen’s absence was no surprise based on Wednesday’s comments.
– As such, it was unfortunate, because Iivo would have been the hardest goer in Finland for 50 kilometers. Maybe the medal expectations on the way would have been too far away, and that’s why Iivo probably didn’t want to take part, Piirainen ponders
Niskanen is the 50-kilometer reigning Olympic champion four years from Pyeongchang, but this time the royal race will be competed in free skiing. Piirainen thought that Niskanen could have reached the top ten in Saturday’s final race on the Zhangjiakou tracks.
– Iivo is in such a bad condition. The track requires so much fitness. The weather is definitely slow. Iivo could have fought hard for a good investment, Piirainen says.
Will Niskanen head to the legendary race in a couple of weeks?
For Niskanen, the Beijing Olympics were extremely successful. Niskanen took gold from a 15-kilometer traditional skiing race, silver from a pair of sprints Joni Mäki as well as a bronze from the combined race.
Niskane only became the Fifth Finnish Athlete to have grabbed a straight in one of the Olympics. The same had been achieved last time Veikko Hakulinen in 1960 in Squaw Valley 52 years ago.
Before Niska and Hakulista, the gymnast has succeeded in the trick Veikko Huhtanen (1948) and speed skaters Clas Thunberg (1924) and Julius Skutnabb (1924).
– Iivo’s races went insanely well overall. The performance was amazing. In each of his starts, Iivo proved to be a traditional skier in a really tough class. In the combination competition, the free part also went so well that the medal came off, Piirainen stated.
In the Instagram update, Niskanen hinted that he would start focusing on the next Olympics and their kingship. For Niskanen referred to a 50-kilometer traditional trip to the race at the 2024 Winter Olympics in the Val di Fiemme, of which Niskane already has one Olympic gold.
– If Iivo can continue with the same motivation, he will set off as a strong gold medal candidate. A few World Cups are also in between. It can also be a success from there anyway, Piirainen says.
In four years, Niskanen will be 34 years old, but that is no problem in this case.
– At such an age, you can hit hard on the table in endurance sports, Piirainen underlines.
Even for this season, Niskane will probably have interesting competitions ahead. The World Cup will continue next week in Lahti with Niskanen’s 15-kilometer traditional gold ride. In addition, in two weeks, the legendary Holmenkollen 50-kilometer race in Norway is ahead.
Niskanen has spoken several times in public about his desire to conquer Kollen’s fifties.
– Kollen is such a race that I would rather win it than place in the top three in the Cup for normal trips. Kollen is a race that is important to himself and many others, Niskanen stated in the autumn of 2019.
On Thursday, the Finnish Ski Association also told the Finnish representatives about the weekend’s final trips. Saturday will participate in the 50 km freestyle cross-country race Perttu Hyvärinen and Remi Lindholm.
Four athletes from Finland will take part in Sunday’s final trip, ie the 30-kilometer freestyle cross-country race: Anne Kyllönen, Johanna Matintalo, Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Pärmäkoski.