Tuesday November 26, 2024

Niskanen wins 1st medal for Finland at Beijing Olympics

Published : 06 Feb 2022, 12:56

Updated : 06 Feb 2022, 21:50

DF Report

Iivo Niskanen of Finland (R) passes the finish line during Cross-Country Skiing Men's 15km + 15km Skiathlon at National Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 6, 2022. Photo: Xinhua by Liu Chan.

Iivo Niskanen brought first medal for Finland in the Beijing Winter Olympics after he won in the 15km + 15km Skiathlon on Sunday.

Niskanen took one hour 18 minutes and 10 seconds, just two minutes behind the gold winner Russian Alexander Bolshunov, who took one hour, 16 minutes and 9.8 seconds.

Another Russian Denis Spitsov won silver in the event who took one hour 17 minutes and 20.8 seconds.

"I just couldn't keep pace with those Russians," said Niskanen after the race, reported national broadcaster Yle.

"They were just ridiculously fast today. Unbelievable, the speed they can ski at. It was even a little bit surprising that I wasn't able to respond to them at all," said the yle report, quoting Niskanen as saying.

It is the third Olympic medal for Niskanen. He won gold in the 2014 Sochi games and gold in the 50km individual race in Pyeongchang in 2018.