Olympic champion Marjut Rolig turns 60 years old. The skiing legend, who is traveling to follow the Italian Games, presents a wish to the blue and white female athletes, which every Finn is guaranteed to sign.
Marjut Rolig participated in the gathering of Olympic winners in Helsinki a couple of weeks ago. Jukka Vaso
Olympic skiing champion Marjut Rolig turns 60 years old.
Rolig, who won gold at the Albertville Games in 1992 with five kilometers, is celebrating his anniversary calmly.
– Nothing more strange than that is planned. I invite a few friends to visit, otherwise we celebrate in a small family circle, Rolig told Iltalehte about his plans.
In the life of an Olympic champion, everything is comfortably in place.
– There are no complaints, Rolig answers with a smile.
As a race tourist
Biathlon is, along with cross-country skiing, a sport near and dear to Rolig. He keeps his fingers crossed for Suvi Minkkinen and his partners. PDO
One of Rolig’s hobbies is, of course, skiing, both personally and watching it on TV.
– I haven’t counted the kilometers this winter. Probably about a hundred have come to ski. It’s good to ski in Hämeenlinna when the slopes are groomed. Of course, I wish there was more snow. It would be nicer and more relaxed to ski in the middle of the forest than on a short ski run, says Rolig.
The Olympic champion admits to being a tough bench athlete. The soon-to-be-started Olympics are party time.
– I am very excited about the Finnish athletes’ progress. Especially for those who are close to my heart.
Finnish cross-country skiers, but also biathlon skiers, are of course like that.
– My daughter has taken up biathlon, and as a result we have been closely involved in biathlon activities in Hämeenlinna. So the sport has become close. Our club participates in the games Sonja Leinamo and Noora Kaisa Keränen. And of course we are excited Suvi Minkkinen on his behalf, he is a very familiar and wonderful person, says Rolig.
Rolig goes to the place together with her husband to excite the Finnish biathlon skiers.
– We will first follow biathlon in Anterselva and then we will travel to Val di Fiemme, where we will see the fiftieth cross-country skiing competition. We set off with great interest, says experienced race tourist Rolig.
Tickets were already purchased a year ago. When it comes to Italy, not everything goes straight to the Finnish taste.
– In the beginning, there were a few problems and, frankly, we had to be a little nervous about whether we would get tickets at all. But things worked out in the end.
A wish for women
Marjut Rolig won Olympic gold in Albertville in 1992. She is still the last Finnish woman to win the Olympic Winter Games. IL archive
Rolig expects the Finnish Olympic team to bring medals from the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
In particular, the expectations are aimed not only at Minkkinen, but also at the blue and white cross-country skiers.
– Niskanen’s siblings as well [Johanna] Matintalo have shown signs of recovery. Yes, this looks good, Rolig thinks.
There is one thing Rolig says he particularly hopes for.
– My hope is that Finland gets a new woman Olympic champion. While I am still the last Finnish woman to win Olympic gold in winter sports, Rolig is aware of a 34-year-old statistical fact.
It’s close to being the other way around.
– In the last games, it was so close for Kertu, Rolig laments.
Kerttu Niskanen missed the Olympic gold by 0.4 seconds in the 10 km intermediate start race.
