The athletes of the Finnish Olympic national team are traveling to Paris, where everyday life awaits them in the competition village. These things can be found in the bags of Elmo Laka and Anniina Ahtosalo who are heading to Paris.
Paris Olympics on channels 26.7.–11.8. Go to the competition website here.
Experienced value competition visitor Elmo Lakka has prepared for the everyday life of the race village with a game console, which he takes care of almost the first thing on his trip. Right after his competition shoes.
– Game console and controllers. A book and then a snack, sports drink and chargers, Lakka, 31, lists the most essential things in his suitcase.
For Laka, the Olympics are the second in his career and, according to him, the last. 20-year-old road cyclist Anniina Ahtosalo will make his debut at the Olympics on Saturday, when it’s time for the time trial.
The duo, who know each other from last fall’s national team preparation camp, are traveling to France together today.
– Yes, this is a big deal. I couldn’t even dream of this a year ago, so the highlight of this summer, Ahtosalo describes the h-moment on the threshold.
In addition, Ahtosalo will compete in the actual road race on Sunday, August 4. On the same day, there will be the preliminaries of Laka’s 110-meter hurdles.
According to Laka, one absolute thing about the Olympics is taking pictures of yourself in front of the Olympic rings. This is also what he advises Ahtosalo. Lakka can’t name any special unwritten rules or pitfalls, and he doesn’t think there are any.
– There is a Suomi lounge in the competition village, so you can spend time there if your sport’s training and competition schedules allow.
– We have fun together there, there is a board game opportunity and you can chat with other athletes about the day’s smoking and drink Finnish coffee, Lakka explains to Ahtosalo.
Competitively, Lakka goes to Paris to get the best competition performance of his career, boasting confidence. After the EC Games, which went under the bench, Lakka set the second fastest time of his career, 13.43, at Paavo Nurme’s Games in Turku. In EC-Rome, Lakka missed the preliminaries with a time of 14.10.
Also in Tokyo, the Finnish paddler did not get the required success in the semi-final and in the final results he was 20th. Among other things, the Olympic Games that took place in a state of emergency lacked an audience, so Lakka expects the historic Stade de France to be full.
The Finnish sailor will travel to the competition village via Reims, where he plans to prepare for the hot climate of France in the form of final training. After this, Lakka moves to Paris to adapt to the competition conditions.
– Basic everyday life can be expected. A smaller society awaits in Kisakylä, where you can find all the services an athlete needs. The thing worked well at least in Tokyo, so the same expectations are for Paris.
Ahtosalo, representing the younger generation of the Finnish Olympic team, was the first to pack contact lenses and a computer in his bag in addition to cycling shoes and helmet. The bike travels as its own big package.
At the Olympics, road cyclist Ahtosalo will represent Finland instead of his team, which he says requires more care. However, he is confident and has got a working back team behind him.
– I’m really excited. The time trial route is really nice, it’s a flat race, so I expect a good race and a tough road race the week after.