Olympic medal-winners accorded reception

The Finnish Olympic medal-winners were accorded a reception at Helsinki Airport on Monday evening on their arrival from the outgoing PyeongChang Olympic 2018 in the Republic of Korea.

President Sauli Niinistö and a number of people rushed to the airport to welcome the last batch of the sport heroes who brought six medals – one gold, one silver, and four bronzes for the country this year.

Children from a kindergarten lined the athletes’ way to the reception where the president delivered his speech thanking all the medal-winners separately, reported the local media.

“We’ve had some great moments here following your accomplishments, during both your wins and losses. They have all touched us,” the national broadcaster Yle quoted Niinistö as saying.

Iivo Niskanen brought the lone gold medal for Finland in the cross-country 50km at PyeongChang Winter Olympic on Saturday.

Krista Pärmäkoski won three medals – one silver and two bronzes – in the Olympic this year. She won the silver medal in the 30 km classic ski on Sunday, won the first medal in the women’s 15-kilometre skiathlon, while her second bronze came from the women’s 10km cross-country free skiing.

Enni Rukajärvi also won a bronze in the in snowboard for Finland.

Finnish women won bronze in the women Ice Hockey in the 2018 PyeongChang winter Olympic this year.

After the president’s speech, athletes Enni Rukajärvi, Krista Pärmäkoski, and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, sports psychologist Hannaleena Ronkainen and head coach Antti Koskinen presented Niinistö with a a small blanket as a gift for his newborn son. The blanket was knit by the team members while their stay in the Olympic Village during the games, said the Yle report.