- Ville Ritola
Vilho ("Ville") Eino Ritola was a Finnish athlete, specialised in the long distance events. In the 1920s, he won 8 Olympic medals. He was internationally known as one of the "Flying Finns". Born in Peräseinäjoki, Finland, Ville Ritola, nicknamed as "Peräseinäjoen Susi (The Wolf from Peräseinäjoki)", emigrated to United States at the age of 17, to join his seven sisters, who had emigrated earlier.
- Antti Viitikko
Antti Viitikko (born November 29, 1976) is a male badminton player from Finland. Viitikko played badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics in men's singles, losing in the round of 32 to Shon Seung-mo of Korea.
- Antti Kalliomäki
Antti Kalliomäki is Finnish Minister of Education since September 23, 2005 and Member of the Parliament of Finland since 1983. Mr. Kalliomäki is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP). He is former Minister of Trade and Industry (1995-1999), former Minister of Finance (2003-2005) and member of Vantaa city council (1984-2000).
- Tapio Rautavaara
Kaj Tapio ”Tapsa” Rautavaara (March 8, 1915 in Northern Pirkkala, Finland - September 25, 1979 in Helsinki, Finland) was a Finnish athlete, performing artist and movie actor.
- Anu Nieminen
Anu Nieminen is a female badminton player from Finland, who was born under her maiden name "Weckström". Weckstrom played badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics, losing to Kaori Mori of Japan in the round of 32. In 2006 she signed with the Finnish cosmetics company Lumene, along with her husband, tennis player Jarkko Nieminen. Photo of Anu Nieminen
- Lasse Virén
Lasse Artturi Virén is a former Finnish athlete, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics and 1976 Summer Olympics. He had an uncanny ability to peak at the Summer Olympic Games. Born in Myrskylä, Finland, Lasse Virén recaptured the image of the "Flying Finns" promulgated by runners like Hannes Kolehmainen, Paavo Nurmi, and Ville Ritola in the 1920s. A police officer from Myrskylä, Virén debuted on the international scene in 1971.
- Hannu Manninen
Hannu Kalevi Manninen (born April 17, 1978 in Rovaniemi) is a Finnish nordic combined athlete. Debuting at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer at the age of 15, he took his first medal three years later at the age of 18 when he won silver in the 4 x 5 km team event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. At the 2002 Winter Olympics, he won a gold medal in the 4 x 5 km team event at the age of 23. He has five other nordic skiing World Championships medals, …
- Eero Lehtonen
Eero Reino Lehtonen was a Finnish pentathlete. He won the Olympic gold at the 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics. After pentathlon was removed from the Olympic programme for 1928, Lehtonen quit his career. His multi-event legacy still survived as Finnish decathletes, Paavo Yrjölä and Akilles Järvinen, took a double victory at the 1928 Summer Olympics. In 1984, Lehtonen got his own bronze statue at the sports park in Mikkeli, his home town
- Heikki Liimatainen
Heikki Liimatainen was a Finnish athlete who competed mainly in the Cross Country Team. He competed for Finland in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium in the Cross Country where he won the bronze medal and helped the Finnish team of multiple gold medalist Paavo Nurmi and Teodor Koskenniemi. He returned four years later to the 1924 Summer Olympics held in Paris, …
- Matti Järvinen
Matti Henrikki Järvinen was a Finnish javelin thrower. He won the Olympic gold medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics ahead of two other Finns, Matti Sippala and Eino Penttilä. The Finns considered other competitors' throwing styles naive, and didn't bother to take off their tracksuits during the event. Besides his Olympic gold, Järvinen is remembered for his numerous world records. During the years from 1930 to 1934, he broke the javelin throw world record 10 times in a row, …
- Janne Ahonen
Janne Petteri Ahonen (born May 11, 1977 in Lahti, Finland) is a Finnish ski jumper. His achievements include individual World Championships in 1997 (normal hill) and 2005 (large hill), first place in the World Cup in 2003–2004 and 2004–2005, and first place in the Four Hills Tournament in 1998–99, 2002–2003, 2004–2005 and 2005–2006. With these four wins he ties the record with Jens Weissflog.
- Pekka Vasala
Pekka Vasala (born April 17, 1948) was a middle-distance athlete who won an Olympic gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. He was born in Helsinki, Finland, where he quickly became interested in athletics. Having Paavo Nurmi as inspiration, Vasala was in the midst of a golden era of middle-distance running, not just in his own country, but around the world.
- Mikaela Ingberg
Mikaela Ingberg (born July 29, 1974 in Vaasa) is a is a Finland-Swedish javelin thrower. Her achievements include bronze medals at the 1995 World Championships, 1998 and 2002 European Championships. She has been coached by Tapio Korjus. Her personal best throw is 64.03 metres, achieved in September 2000 in Berlin.
- Virpi Kuitunen
Virpi Kuitunen (born May 20, 1976 in Kangasniemi) is a Finnish cross country skier who has competed since 1995. She won a bronze medal in the team sprint event (with Aino Kaisa Saarinen) at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and earned her best individual finish of 5th in the individual sprint event in those same games. Kuitunen has six medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships with four golds (2001: 5 km + 5 km combined pursuit, 2007: Team sprint, …
- Timo Peltola
Timo Peltola (born 12 June 1972) is a Finnish judoka.
- Aki Parviainen
Aki Parviainen (born October 26, 1974 in Helsinki) is a Finnish Javelin thrower, who won the gold medal at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics and a silver medal at the 2001 World Championships. His best throw is 93.09 in 1999. His best Olympic placing is 5th in 2000. In spring of 2006, Parviainen announced his retirement due to injuries.
- Mika Halvari
Mika Kristian Halvari (born February 13, 1970 in Kemi) is a Finnish shot putter who has quit active competition. When competing, he represented Kemin Kunto and Helsingin Kisa-Veikat, weighing in at 140 kg on his 190 cm frame. Halvari won the 1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Barcelona, Spain and came in second in the World Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg, Sweden the same year.
- Albin Stenroos
Oskar Albinus ("Albin") Stenroos (February 25, 1889 - April 30, 1971) was a Finnish athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Born in Vehmaa, Finland, Albin Stenroos ran his first marathon in 1909 (bronze in national championships), but then settled to shorter distances. His next marathon would be in Paris Olympics in 1924. Albin Stenroos got his first fame by winning the 10 000 m at Finnish nationals in 1910.
- Tiina Lillak
Tiina Lillak (born April 15, 1961 in Helsinki) is a former Finnish javelin thrower, who was among the best female javelin throwers in the world in the early and mid 1980s. While she has been credited for starting a string of successes for Finnish female Javeline thrower, her more notable accomplishments include winning a world championship and an Olympic medal. After retiring from athletics, Lillak began working as a masseuse.
- Toni Nieminen
Toni Nieminen (born May 31, 1975 in Lahti) is a former Finnish ski jumper who competed from 1991 to 2004. His biggest success came very early in his career, where he won three medals at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, earning two gold medals in the individual and team large hill events; and a bronze medal in the individual normal hill event.
- Risto Mattila
Risto Mattila (born February 4, 1981, Kannus, Finland) is a Finnish snowboarder. He is an all-around rider, who has many achievements in half pipe, big air and in park riding contests. He has also made a name by having shots in the international snowboarding magazines. He is well known as a confident rider and because of his smooth style. Risto Mattila was born in Kannus, which is located in Pohjanmaa region which is well known for its flat surface.
- Arsi Harju
Arsi Ilari Harju (born March 18, 1974 in Kurikka) is a Finnish shot putter with the team Perhon kiri. He won the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics with a distance of 21.29 metres. His personal best is 21.39, which he put in the qualifiers for the same Olympics. Due to his success in the Olympics and elsewhere that year, Harju was named Finnish Athlete of the Year in 2000.
- Markku Koski
Markku Koski (born October 15, 1981) is a professional snowboarder from Sievi, Finland. He is well known within the snowboarding community for his consistent showing in half-pipe competitions and for his video parts with Standard Films. He is often cited as being one of the top 5 professional snowboarders in the world. He is notable within the landscape of professional snowboarders because he does not have an easily definable image within the sport.
- Ilmari Salminen
Ilmari Salminen was a Finnish athlete, winner of the 10 000 m at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Born in Elimäki, Finland, Ilmari Salminen was one of the best long distance runners in the 1930s. Salminen began his international athletics career in 1934 by winning the 10,000 m and taking bronze in 5000 m at the first European Championships in Turin, thus becoming a main favorite at the Olympic 10,000 m run.
- Martti Vainio
Martti Sakari Vainio (born December 30 1950 at Vehkalahti) is a Finnish former long distance runner. His achievements in major athletic championships include gold in the 10,000 metres race 1978 European Championships in Athletics in Prague and bronze in the same distance at the 1982 European Championships in Athletics in Athens. At the 1983 World Championships in Athletics he dropped to fourth by a very short margin in the 10,000 metres race, …
- Matti Nykänen
Matti Ensio Nykänen (born July 17, 1963 in Jyväskylä, Finland) is a Finnish former ski jumper, and was arguably the best in that sport, winning five Olympic medals (four Golds), nine World championships medals (five Golds) and 22 Finnish championships medals (13 Golds). Since the 1990s, however, his status as a celebrity has mainly been fueled not by his sport achievements, but instead by his colourful personal relationships, his career as a singer, …
- Harry Larva
Harri ("Harry") Edvin Larva was a Finnish athlete, winner of 1500 m at the 1928 Summer Olympics. Born in Turku, Harry Larva was forced to change his last name from Lagerström to Larva in 1928 by a young president of Finnish Athletics Union and known nationalist Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, because his name didn't sound as Finnish. Larva, a Finnish champion in 800 m from 1928 to 1930 and in 1934, won only one bronze (1927) in his favourite distance 1500 m at Finnish Championships.
- Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu (born November 23, 1974 in Turku, Finland) is a professional ice hockey player, and plays centre for the Montreal Canadiens as the current team captain.
- Toni Lydman
Toni Lydman (born September 25, 1977 in Lahti) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. He has played in the NHL for the Calgary Flames and currently the Buffalo Sabres. Lydman was drafted by Calgary in the 4th round, 89th overall at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He spent 4 seasons playing in Finland's SM-liiga for Tappara in Tampere and HIFK in Helsinki before making his NHL debut for the Flames in the 2000-01 NHL season.
- Sami Salo
Sami Salo is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft as their ninth-round pick. Salo started his pro career with TPS in the Finnish SM-liiga. After a season with Jokerit, Salo left for North America and the Ottawa Senators. After four seasons with Ottawa, Salo was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. He spent the lockout season playing for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien, …
- Jarkko Nieminen
Jarkko Nieminen (born July 23, 1981 in Masku, Finland) is a professional tennis player from Finland. Nieminen is ranked World No. 21 in the ATP Rankings published on June 18, 2007. He has won one ATP singles title in his career so far. His best performances in Grand Slam tournaments have been reaching the quarter-finals of the 2005 U.S. Open and the 2006 Wimbledon Championships. Arguably Finland's best ever player, Nieminen is the highest ranked Finn ever, …
- Janne Happonen
Janne Mikael Happonen (born June 18, 1984 in Kuopio, Finland) is a Finnish ski jumper. He represents "Puijon Hiihtoseura" as his ski club.
- Markku Uusipaavalniemi
Markku Uusipaavalniemi (born November 23, 1966 in Karkkila) is a Finnish curler and politician.
- Jaakko Tallus
Jaakko Tapio Tallus (born February 23, 1981 in Lieksa) is a nordic combined athlete from Finland who won gold (4 x 5 km team) and silver (15 km individual) medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics and a bronze (4 x 5 km team) medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He also three medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in the 4 x 5 km team events with one gold (2007) and two bronze (2001, 2003) medals. Tallus has three individual career victories, all earned in Finland in 1998.
- Arto Bryggare
Arto Kalervo Bryggare (born May 26, 1958 in Kouvola) is a former Finnish hurdling athlete. He is currently known as a member of the Parliament of Finland, representing the Social Democratic Party of Finland from 1995 to 1999 and 2003 to 2007. His personal best time 13,35, made during trials in 1984 Los Angeles games, is still the record time in Finland and in Nordic countries.
- Risto Jussilainen
Risto Jussilainen is a Finnish ski jumper. He won a silver medal in the team large hill event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Jussilainen has also won two World Cup events and achieved 16 podium places. He also won seven World Cup events in the Team category (Normal hill, Large hill, and Ski Flying) between 2000 and 2002. Jussilainen also won silver medals in both team events (normal and large hills) at the 2001 Nordic skiing World Championships.
- Volmari Iso-Hollo
Volmari "Vomma" Fritijof Iso-Hollo was a Finnish athlete, winner of two gold medals in 3000 m steeplechase at the Olympic Games. Born in Ylöjärvi, Finland, Volmari Iso-Hollo was one of the last in a group of Finnish runners called the "Flying Finns" who dominated distance running in the period between the World Wars. As a youth, Iso-Hollo did skiing, gymnastics and boxing and took up running as he joined the army. He was successful in wide range of events, …
- Anssi Koivuranta
Anssi Koivuranta (born July 3 1988 in Kuusamo) is a Nordic combined athlete from Finland who won the gold medal in the 4 x 5 km team event at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo. There he also earned a bronze medal in the 15 km Gundersen race. Koivuranta also earned bronze medal in the 4 x 5 team event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
- Veikko Karvonen
Veikko Leo Karvonen (born 5 January, 1926 in Sakkola) was a Finnish athlete, who mainly competed in the marathon. He competed in the men's marathon for Finland at the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia, where he won the bronze medal. Two years earlier he claimed the European title in Bern, Switzerland. <br> <br>
- Marko Kemppainen
Marko Kemppainen (born July 13, 1976 in Kajaani) is an athlete from Finland. He competes in skeet shooting. Kemppainen won a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championship in Cairo. He represented Finland at the 2004 Summer Olympics. By winning the silver medal in men's skeet event he took the first medal for Finland in the Athens Olympics.