Iivo Niskanen

Last updated
Iivo Niskanen
20190227 FIS NWSC Seefeld Medal Ceremony 850 5369 Iivo Niskanen.jpg
Iivo Niskanen in February 2019
CountryFinland
Full nameIivo Henrik Niskanen
Born (1992-01-12) 12 January 1992 (age 32)
Oulu, Finland
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Ski clubPuijon Hiihtoseura
World Cup career
Seasons14 – (2011–present)
Starts133
Podiums22
Wins8
Overall titles0 – (3rd in 2022 )
Discipline titles1 – (DI in 2022)
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Event1st2nd3rd
Olympic Games 311
World Championships 112
Total423
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2014 Sochi Team sprint
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Pyeongchang 50 km classical
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Beijing 15 km classical
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2022 Beijing Team sprint
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2022 Beijing 30 km skiathlon
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2017 Lahti 15 km classical
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Planica 4 × 10 km relay
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2017 Lahti Team sprint
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2019 Seefeld 15 km classical
U23 World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2014 Val di Fiemme 15 km classical
Junior World Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2011 Otepää 4 × 5 km relay
Updated on 2 March 2024.

Iivo Henrik Niskanen (born 12 January 1992) is a Finnish cross-country skier who has competed in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup since 2011. He is a three-time Olympic champion.

Contents

Career

Iivo Niskanen made his individual World Cup debut on 12 March 2011, when he became 69th in a 20 km skiathlon in Lahti, Finland. He had his breakthrough at the international level when he won the 15-kilometre classic race at the 2014 under-23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme on 30 January 2014. He won the race with a 17.4 seconds margin to Sergey Ustiugov. [1] Only three days after he won the gold medal at the under-23 World Championships, he became 8th in a 15 km classic World Cup race in Toblach, Italy.

He won the gold medal in men's team sprint at the 2014 Winter Olympics with Sami Jauhojärvi. [2] Following the pair's achievement, Niskanen and Jauhojärvi shared the Finnish Sports Personality of the Year award in 2014. Niskanen finished 4th on the prestigious 50 km race in Holmenkollen on 8 March 2014.

In the following 2014–15 season, Niskanen won his first World Cup victory on 30 November 2014 by winning a 15 km classic race on home soil in Ruka, Finland.

At the 2017 World Championships in Lahti, Niskanen won a bronze medal in the team sprint together with teammate Jauhojärvi. Niskanen led the race into its final stages, but a crash with Norway's Emil Iversen saw Russia and Italy surpass them. On 1 March, he became the World champion on the 15 km classic event, winning the gold medal 17.9 seconds ahead of Martin Johnsrud Sundby. [3] He won his second Finnish Sports Personality of the Year in 2017.

In the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Niskanen became individual Olympic champion in the men's 50 kilometre classical. [4] [5] In January 2019, Niskanen was awarded his third Finnish Sports Personality of the Year for the year 2018, [6] the first since Marjo Matikainen in 1987 to win the award two consecutive years; the first male since Kaarlo Kangasniemi in 1969.

At the 2019 World Championships in Seefeld in Tirol, Austria, Niskanen won a bronze medal in the 15 km classic event. This turned out to be his only medal at the championships as he finished fourth in both the skiathlon and the relay.

Iivo Niskanen started the 2019–20 season with his third 15 km classic World Cup win in Ruka and third place in the overall 2019 Nordic Opening. He reached the podium four more times during the season, including his first 15 km freestyle podium.

The 2020/21 season was something of a disappointment for Niskanen, who was left without any podium placements. In the WCH in Oberstdorf, he was in his season's best form, skiing a very strong 2nd leg in the relay and placing 6th in the 50 km classic, which he had won in the Winter Olympics three years earlier. However, missing out on a medal and a waxing failure in the 50-kilometre race enraged the ambitious skier. [7]

In the 2021/22 season, Niskanen returned in stronger form and became the first Finnish male skier to reach the podium at the overall Tour de Ski, when he placed third. During the World Cup season, he took three wins and second place, all in 15 km classical. By placing fourth in the 50 km race in Holmenkollen in the absence of his closest rivals Alexander Bolshunov and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, he secured himself the Distance discipline globe already before the World Cup finals in Falun. Niskanen is the first Finnish male skier to win the Distance World Cup.

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing were a triumph for Niskanen, who won his third Olympic gold with a dominant performance in the 15 km classical and claimed a somewhat unexpected bronze medal in the 30 km skiathlon. Alongside these individual medals, Niskanen won silver in the classical team sprint with Joni Mäki, thus winning three medals total in Beijing. Niskanen has medaled in all three Olympics he has participated in. He is the fourth Finn to win three Olympic gold medals in cross-country skiing, the first to do so since Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi's triple gold in Sarajevo 1984. [8] He is also one of four Finnish athletes who have won gold in three different Olympics, summer or winter, after Paavo Nurmi, Veikko Hakulinen and Pertti Karppinen. [9]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS). [10]

Olympic Games

 Year  Age  15 km 
 individual 
 30 km 
 skiathlon 
 50 km 
 mass start 
 Sprint  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2014 22 4 25 10 6 Gold
2018 26 19 Gold 14 4
2022 30 Gold Bronze [a] 6 Silver

aDistance reduced to 30 km due to weather conditions.

World Championships

 Year  Age  15 km 
 individual 
 30 km 
 skiathlon 
 50 km 
 mass start 
 Sprint  4 × 10 km 
 relay 
 Team 
 sprint 
2015 23 26 8
2017 25 Gold 5 Bronze
2019 27 Bronze 4 4 7
2021 29 18 13 6 6
2023 31 13 6 Silver

World Cup

Season titles

  • 1 title – (1 distance)
FIS Crystal Globe.svg SeasonDiscipline
2022 Distance

Season standings

 Season  Age Discipline standingsSki Tour standings
OverallDistanceSprintNordic
Opening
Tour de
Ski
Ski Tour
2020
World Cup
Final
Ski Tour
Canada
2011 19NCNCNC
2012 20NCNC
2013 21NCNCNC40DNF
2014 22503190DNF
2015 23402578DNF
2016 2466437327DNF
2017 251444210DNFDNF
2018 261513246DNFDNF
2019 272013927
2020 286Bronze medal icon.svg31Bronze medal icon.svg108
2021 292319845
2022 30Bronze medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg73Bronze medal icon.svg
2023 316333NCDNF
2024 32291555

Individual podiums

  • 8 victories – (6 WC, 2 SWC)
  • 23 podiums – (17 WC, 6 SWC)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
1 2014–15 30 November 2014 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
2 2016–17 27 November 2016 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
319 February 2017 Flag of Estonia.svg Otepää, Estonia15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
411 March 2017 Flag of Norway.svg Holmenkollen, Norway50 km Mass Start CWorld Cup2nd
5 2017–18 25 November 2017 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland15 km Individual CStage World Cup3rd
64 March 2018 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
7 2018–19 20 January 2019 Flag of Estonia.svg Otepää, Estonia15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
817 February 2019 Flag of Italy.svg Cogne, Italy15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
9 2019–20 30 November 2019 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland15 km Individual CStage World Cup1st
1029 November
 1 December 2019
Flag of Finland.svg Nordic Opening, FinlandOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
111 January 2020 Flag of Italy.svg Toblach, Italy15 km Pursuit CStage World Cup3rd
1218 January 2020 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Nové Město, Czech Republic15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
1323 February 2020 Flag of Norway.svg Trondheim, Norway30 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
1429 February 2020 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
15 2021–22 27 November 2021 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
1629 December 2021 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Lenzerheide, Switzerland15 km Individual CStage World Cup1st
173 January 2022 Flag of Italy.svg Val di Fiemme, Italy15 km Mass Start CStage World Cup2nd
1828 December 2021
 4 January 2022
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Flag of Germany.svg Flag of Italy.svg Tour de Ski Overall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
1927 February 2022 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland15 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
20 2022–23 29 January 2023 Flag of France.svg Les Rousses, France20 km Mass Start CWorld Cup2nd
21 2023–24 25 November 2023 Flag of Finland.svg Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
222 March 2024 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland20 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
2316 March 2024 Flag of Sweden.svg Falun, Sweden10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd

Team podiums

  • 4 podiums – (2 RL, 2 TS)
No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlaceTeammate(s)
1 2018–19 10 February 2019 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland6 × 1.6 km Team Sprint CWorld Cup3rd Hakola
2 2020–21 24 January 2021 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland4 × 7.5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2nd Hyvärinen / Hakola / Mäki
3 2021–22 13 March 2022 Flag of Sweden.svg Falun, Sweden4 × 5 km Mixed Relay FWorld Cup2nd K. Niskanen / Hyvärinen / Pärmäkoski
4 2023–24 1 March 2024 Flag of Finland.svg Lahti, Finland6 × 1.3 km Team Sprint CWorld Cup3rd Vuorinen

Awards

Personal life

Iivo Niskanen's sister Kerttu is also a cross-country skier and a four-time Olympic medalist. Iivo and Kerttu Niskanen are regarded as great sporting heroes in their childhood hometown of Vieremä, North Savo, which regularly hosts festivities following the siblings' Olympic and World Championship success. [11] They are also the only siblings who have won cross-country World Cup races on the same day and place: this happened on 29 December 2021, when they won the 10 and 15 km classical Stage World Cup events in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. At the season finale in Falun, Sweden, the siblings shared a World Cup podium for the first time when they skied the 1st and 3rd legs of the mixed relay event, where Finland placed second. Niskanen's other sister Katri is a highly regarded Finnish fashion designer.

Iivo Niskanen married his long-time partner Saana Kemppainen in the summer of 2018. [12] The couple resides in Kuopio, Finland, and Niskanen currently represents the local club Puijon Hiihtoseura.

See also

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The men's 15 kilometre classical competition in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics was held on 11 February, at the Kuyangshu Nordic Center and Biathlon Center in Zhangjiakou. The event was won by Iivo Niskanen of Finland. Alexander Bolshunov, representing the Russian Olympic Committee, won silver, and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway became the bronze medalist.

The men's 30 kilometre skiathlon competition in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics was held on 6 February, at the Kuyangshu Nordic Center and Biathlon Center in Zhangjiakou. The event, with half distance classic skiing and half distance skate skiing, was won by Alexander Bolshunov, for whom this is the first Olympic gold medal. Denis Spitsov finished second and Iivo Niskanen third.

The women's 15 kilometre skiathlon competition in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics was held on 5 February, at the Kuyangshu Nordic Center and Biathlon Center in Taizicheng. The event was won by Therese Johaug of Norway. The event was noted for its extreme weather, which many athletes complained. Temperature was −17 °C (1 °F) or −35 °C (−31 °F) with windchill, according to the International Ski Federation.

The men’s team sprint competition in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics was held on 16 February, at the Kuyangshu Nordic Center and Biathlon Center in Zhangjiakou. Erik Valnes and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway won the event. Iivo Niskanen and Joni Mäki of Finland won the silver medal, and Alexander Bolshunov and Alexander Terentyev, representing the Russian Olympic Committee, bronze.

The men's 50 kilometre freestyle competition in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics was held on 19 February, at the Kuyangshu Nordic Center and Biathlon Center in Taizicheng. Alexander Bolshunov, representing the Russian Olympic Committee, won the event, and Ivan Yakimushkin, also of ROC, won silver, his first Olympic medal. Simen Hegstad Krüger of Norway won the bronze medal, competing in his first and only race at these Games after an illness. Bolshunov became only the second skier who won 30 km and 50 km at the same Olympics, after Russian Nikolay Zimyatov accomplished this in 1980.

The women's 10 kilometre classical competition in cross-country skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics was held on 10 February, at the Kuyangshu Nordic Center and Biathlon Center in Zhangjiakou. Therese Johaug of Norway became the Olympic champion, Kerttu Niskanen of Finland won the silver medal, and Krista Pärmäkoski, also of Finland, won bronze.

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References

  1. "Niskanen takes world U23 gold ahead of Sochi". Yle.fi. Yle . Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  2. "CROSS COUNTRY PAIR JAUHOJÄRVI AND NISKANEN REDISCOVER GOLDEN FORMULA FOR FINLAND TO WIN MEN'S TEAM SPRINT". Olympic.org. The International Olympic Committee. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  3. "Iivo Niskanen wins men's 15K cross-country ski world title". cbc.ca. CBC. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  4. "Olympics: Cross-country skiing – Finn Niskanen takes gold in 50km mass start". Reuters. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  5. "Athlete Profile – Iivo NISKANEN". pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  6. "Olympic cross-country ski medallist scoops Sports Personality of the Year". Yle.fi. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  7. ""Minulla tökki pito" – Iivo Niskanen paiskoi sukset maalissa MM-pettymyksen jälkeen, katso kuinka Niskanen antoi kovasanaista palautetta huollolle kesken kisan". Yle.fi. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  8. "Hiihto | Iivo Niskanen järjesti yhden miehen näytöksen – kolmas kulta kolmansissa kisoissa peräkkäin". Hs.fi. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  9. "Olympiakultaa! Iivo Niskanen ylivoimaiseen voittoon miesten 15 kilometrillä". Yle.fi. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  10. "Iivo Niskanen". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  11. "Olympialaiset | Vieremä tarjosi olympiasankareilleen näyttävän kotiinpaluun – Kerttu Niskanen yllätettiin täysin". Hs.fi. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  12. Väänänen, Ville (8 July 2018). "Olympiavoittaja Iivo Niskanen meni naimisiin". Is.fi. Retrieved 1 March 2022.