Finland at the 2018 Winter Paralympics facts for kids

Finland sent some amazing athletes to compete in the 2018 Winter Paralympics! These big games happened in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Finnish athletes showed off their skills in different sports like para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, para-snowboarding, and wheelchair curling. It was a chance for them to compete against the best in the world.

Meet Team Finland!

Finland's team for the 2018 Winter Paralympics was made up of talented athletes. They trained hard to get ready for the competition. Here are the members of Team Finland:

Some athletes who are visually impaired have a "guide skier." This person skis just in front of them, helping them know where to go on the course.

Para-alpine Skiing

Para-alpine skiing is like regular downhill skiing, but it's adapted for athletes with disabilities. Skiers race down snowy mountains, trying to be the fastest.

Finnish Alpine Skier

Santeri Kiiveri was Finland's alpine skier. He had a great result at the 2017 World Championships, finishing sixth in an event called the super combined. This shows he was ready to compete at the Paralympics!

Alpine Skiing Events

The para-alpine skiing events at the 2018 Games included several exciting races. These were the downhill, Super-G, super combined, slalom, and giant slalom. Athletes competed over several days in March.

Para-Nordic Skiing

Para-Nordic skiing includes cross-country skiing and biathlon. Athletes use special equipment or techniques to race across snowy terrain.

Nordic Skiers from Finland

Finland had several experienced para-Nordic skiers at the Games.

• Sini Pyy had competed in the 2014 Winter Paralympics before.
• Ilkka Tuomisto was a very experienced athlete. He had been to the Paralympics in 2006, 2010, and 2014! He even won a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships.
• Inkki Inola was competing in his very first Paralympic Games. He is a blind skier, and his guide skier was Vili Sormunen.
• Rudolf Klemetti is also a blind skier. He had competed in three past Paralympics (2002, 2010, and 2014). His guide skier was Jaakko Kallunki.
• Juha Härkönen was at his second Paralympic Games, having also competed in 2014.

Nordic Skiing Schedule

The para-Nordic skiing events included long-distance races and sprint races. Qualification rounds for sprints happened on March 14, followed by semifinals and finals. There were also classic style races.

Para-snowboarding

Para-snowboarding is a thrilling sport where athletes race down a course on a snowboard. It's adapted for different types of disabilities.

Finnish Snowboarders

Finland had two snowboarders at the Games:

• Matti Suur-Hamari was a strong contender. He had competed in the 2014 Paralympics. In 2017, he won two gold medals at the World Para Snowboarding Championships! He also won World Cup events before the Games. People thought his biggest rivals would be athletes from the USA and Japan.
• Matti Sairanen was competing in his first Paralympic Games.

Snowboarding Races

The para-snowboarding events included snowboard cross and banked slalom. Snowboard cross is a race where athletes go head-to-head down a course with jumps and turns. The slalom race involves going through a course marked by gates.

Wheelchair Curling

Wheelchair curling is a team sport played on ice. Players slide stones towards a target area, trying to get them closest to the center. It's a game of strategy and precision.

Before the Games

Before the 2018 Paralympics, the Finnish wheelchair curling team played in a tournament in Estonia in November 2017. They finished in third place.

Wheelchair Curling Team

The Finnish wheelchair curling team had a mix of experienced and new players:

• Sari Karjalainen had competed in the 2014 Winter Paralympics.
• Vesa Leppänen was at his first Games.
• Markku Karjalainen was also a veteran, having competed in the 2014 Winter Paralympics and even the 1992 Summer Paralympics!
• Riitta Särösalo was competing in her first Games in 2018.
• Yrjö Jääskeläinen was also a first-time Paralympian.

Interestingly, Sari Karjalainen, who was the team's skip (the leader), is married to Markku Karjalainen, another player on the team.

Curling Matches

The wheelchair curling competition started on March 10. One of Finland's matches was against Sweden on March 14.

See also

In Spanish: Finlandia en los Juegos Paralímpicos de Pyeongchang 2018 para niños