Finns welcome Lions, Olympics medallists

People from different strata welcomed the Finnish Ice Hockey team and other Olympics medallists after their arrival at Helsinki Airport from Beijing on Monday afternoon.

Enthusiastic people including Minister of Culture and Sport Antti Kurvinen and President of Finnish Olympic Committee Jan Vapaavuori accorded reception to the athletes.

Cross-country skiers and Olympic medallists Krista Pärmäkoski and Kerttu Niskanen also arrived in the same flights and later the medallists joined the programme at Helsinki Olympic Stadium in the evening where thousands of Finns were waiting to welcome them.

People gathered at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium with national flags and colourful placard, festoons and banners ignoring the adverse snowy weather at the reception ceremony.

Valtteri Filppula, the captain of ice hockey team termed the China trip as very emotional, particularly as the games started just a couple of days after his first child was born, reported national broadcaster Yle.

"Yes, it was a storm of emotions. It was difficult to head to Beijing but at the same time I wanted to play, of course. Everything went well in the end and now it is good to come home with fun souvenirs," said the Yle report, quoting Filppula as saying.

Finland became unbeaten champion in the men´s ice hockey beating Russia (ROC-Russian Olympic Committee) by 2 goals to 1 in the final at National Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Sunday.

Finland won a total of eight medals-two golds, two silvers and three bronzes- in Beijing Olympics 2022.