Kalle Palander, Toni Roponen and Petter Kukkonen shared their choice for Athlete of the Year. They all told different names. However, the most exciting sports moment of the year was the same for everyone.
At the sports gala, we look back at the amazing sports year that ended on Thursday. This year, there are plenty of good options for athlete of the year. That’s why there has been a lot of discussion around it.
There are so many rally world champions available Kalle Rovanperääa skier who won straight medals at the Olympics Iivo from Niskathe basketball player who dominated the European Championships and took Susijeng into the eight Lauri from Markkathe European champions of athletics Wilma Murtoa mixed Top from Raita.
Sports studio experts Toni Roponen, Petter Kukkonen and Kalle Palander also ended up with different choices.
Kukkonen chose Markkanen from Jyväskylä as Sportsman of the Year.
– He is a boy from his home village and an unimaginably tough athlete in a very competitive sport. He has made changes to his training and taken a step forward. Now he is one of the best players in the world. Markkanen makes huge results night after night. He is a great role model for the entire Finnish sports community, says Kukkonen.
Roponen, on the other hand, believes that Markkanen is not yet the athlete of the year 2022.
– I believe that he will be chosen as athlete of the year in 2023. Markkanen’s best moments will be seen in the following years, says Roponen.
In the fall, Markkanen, who continued his top performances in the Utah Jazz in the NBA, is strongly pushing for the league’s all-star game at the beginning of the year. In addition, Markkanen will lead Finland to the World Championships in the fall.
Roponen would like to see that the importance of Markkanen’s achievements is understood in Finland.
– Each of Markkanen’s games should have at least one page in the afternoon papers. This is also the case with real superstars in the world. I believe that Markkanen will win the Sportsman of the Year award two or three times. However, not during the Olympic years. Then it’s hard to ignore the Olympic brand, Roponen states.
Roponen chose Niskanen instead of Markkanen
Roponen himself chose Iivo Niskanen as Sportsman of the Year. In February, Niskanen memorably won the Olympic gold in the 15 km race using traditional skiing. He became only the fourth Finn to win Olympic gold in three consecutive Olympics.
– I’m not only motivated by Iivo’s victory anymore. It excites me to be able to win Olympic gold three times in a row, Roponen says and reflects on the breakup with Markkasen.
– It’s hard to ignore the fact that someone dominates and wins Olympic gold. Now we are talking about Finland’s Athlete of the Year. If we were to evaluate the most internationally significant Finnish athlete, it would be Lauri Markkanen. Finland’s Athlete of the Year is Iivo Niskanen.
Kalle Palander raises a different point of view. According to Palander, the Athlete of the Year 2022 is his namesake Kalle Rovanperä. He became the first Finnish rally world champion in 20 years.
– I became a sports fanatic again when Kalle started driving, Palander said.
Palander follows the rally closely. He aims to watch every special stage of every rally. If he doesn’t watch special exams, he listens to them either in English or Finnish.
– I have never been a fan of anyone as much as Kalle Rovanperä, says Palander.
Wilma Murto is a clear choice for the most exciting sports moment
Urheilustudio’s experts had no doubt about the most exciting sports moment of the year. Palander, Kukkonen and Roponen took the same moment to the top: Wilma Murro’s sensational European championship in the pole vault.
– An absolutely freezing bet. I appreciate the physicality of the sport. A tough sport, Palander beamed.
– The World Championship or the European Championship requires a lot of work, whatever the sport. I was really moved by Murro’s championship. Tears came to my eyes. Wilma has had potential. Then it comes suddenly. Everything plays together, Kukkonen says.
– It’s not just that the European championship came. But the way it came. He was able to set the Finnish record a few times under pressure. The result could have won even Olympic gold. A year ago in Tokyo there was a good ranking, but the result did not match it. Now we got an incomprehensible result, Roponen states.
The Finnish Sports Gala can be seen live on on Thursday, January 12. The gala starts with the Alkuilta broadcast at 18:00 on TV2, Areena and the app. The gala broadcast starts at 20:00. You can vote for the most exciting sports moment of the year on ‘s website here.