The bronze hero of Tokyo would have been allowed to carry the Finnish flag at the opening ceremony in his fourth Olympic Games, but the Pori resident refused the honor.
Paris Olympics on channels 26.7.–11.8. Go to the competition website here.
When the Tokyo Olympics opened in 2021, a swimmer carried the Finnish flag at the opening Ari-Pekka Liukkonenbut the competitions themselves generated the biggest Finnish headlines Matti Mattsson.
In his third Olympic Games, Porilainen won the bronze medal in the 200-meter breaststroke in the still valid Finnish record time of 2:07.13. Teko was also awarded the Athlete of the Year title at the end of 2021.
It was Finland’s first Olympic medal in swimming in 25 years.
Mattsson’s name has also been featured when it has been speculated who will carry the blue cross flag at the extraordinary opening ceremony of the Olympic Games starting in Paris on Friday, organized in the framework of the Seine River and the Eiffel Tower.
What makes the event exceptional is that it is not organized in a stadium. The athletes will be brought there by water.
The odds for Mattsson, who is preparing for his fourth and last Olympic Games, have been low. The athlete admitted to Urheilu on Monday that the Olympic Committee offered him a job, but the answer was “no thanks”.
Big uncertainty
Athletes cannot know in advance exactly how many hours they will have to stand in the middle of the opening ceremonies, transport logistics and massive security measures, which also had its own effect on Mattsson’s decision. He starts his race on his main trip on Tuesday, July 30.
– The honorary position was given the opportunity, but even before I was asked, I had decided not to participate in the opening ceremony. I got to experience them in London 2012, and it would certainly have been a wonderful event even now. But when there are only a few days between the opening ceremony and my main sport, I give my body that time to rest.
Mattsson wanted to emphasize that it is in no way a question of underestimating the task.
– I wrestled hard inside my own head, because a Finnish athlete can hardly get that finer honor. I already appreciated the offer very much. I dare not guess who will carry the flag now. If the sailors were in Paris and not in Marseille, then the one in his third Games Kaarle Tapper (ILCA class 7) would be an excellent candidate for me.
As a swimmer, Mattsson would have been the third in the position in 12 years, because in the end she competed in no fewer than five games Hanna-Maria Blacksmith (now Hinge) carried the flag at the 2012 London Olympic Stadium.
A decision on the continuation of the career in the fall
In Paris, the third prestigious long course competition will be held in 2024. In February, Mattsson finished sixth at the World Championships in Doha. A number of elite 200m breaststrokers were missing from the event. Mattsson did not participate in June’s European Championships in Belgrade.
As usual, he has worked up his competition fitness in Pori’s swimming hall, which is for private use by the star of Karhukaupungi in the summer.
Mattsson won’t be seen at the Olympic level after Paris, but he has no plans to end his career.
– I only thought about it after Paris.