Marjo Matikainen-Kallström
Encyclopedia
Marjo Tuulevi Matikainen-Kallström (born February 3, 1965 in Lohja
) is a politician
and former Finnish
cross-country skier
.
Matikainen-Kallström represents the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) in Finland. From 1996 to 2004 she was a Member of the European Parliament
, and since 2004 she has been a member of the Finnish Parliament. She had a very short but hugely winning sporting career. In the six seasons she competed at top international level, she won the World Cup
three years in a row. At the 1984 Winter Olympics
in Sarajevo
, Matikainen-Kallström won a bronze medal in the relay aged just 19.
Four years later in Calgary
she won bronze on the 10 km race, and in the 5 km sprint won gold after being in second place all race until the last kilometre before coming through to win, 1.3 second
s ahead of Tamara Tikhonova
, who had to settle for silver. That same year she won another bronze medal in the relay.
At the 1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
in Oberstdorf
, she won the 5 km sprint, and silver in the 10 km. Matikainen-Kallström finished her championship career with a fantastic 1989 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
on her home soil in Lahti
, where she won the following medals:
She retired after these championships at 24 years old to concentrate on her studies at the Helsinki University of Technology
and politics.
Matikainen-Kallström also was the first winner of the women's 30 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival
in 1988.
Lohja
Lohja , is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water...
) is a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
cross-country skier
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
.
Matikainen-Kallström represents the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) in Finland. From 1996 to 2004 she was a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, and since 2004 she has been a member of the Finnish Parliament. She had a very short but hugely winning sporting career. In the six seasons she competed at top international level, she won the World Cup
FIS Cross-Country World Cup
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is an annual cross-country skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation since 1981. The competition was arranged unofficially between 1973 and 1981, although it received provisional recognition on the 31...
three years in a row. At the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Matikainen-Kallström won a bronze medal in the relay aged just 19.
Four years later in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
she won bronze on the 10 km race, and in the 5 km sprint won gold after being in second place all race until the last kilometre before coming through to win, 1.3 second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
s ahead of Tamara Tikhonova
Tamara Tikhonova
Tamara Ivanovna Tikhonova is a former Soviet Russian cross-country skier who competed from 1984 to 1992...
, who had to settle for silver. That same year she won another bronze medal in the relay.
At the 1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1987 took place 11–21 February 1987 in Oberstdorf, West Germany. Following the domination of the skating technique at the previous championships, the FIS introduced separate cross-country skiing races in the classical technique and the freestyle technique at...
in Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in southwest Germany, located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps.At the center of Oberstdorf is a church whose tall spire serves as a landmark for navigating around town. The summits of the Nebelhorn and Fellhorn provide...
, she won the 5 km sprint, and silver in the 10 km. Matikainen-Kallström finished her championship career with a fantastic 1989 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
1989 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
–The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1989 took place 17–26 February 1989 in Lahti, Finland, for a record fifth time . The women's 5 km was not held after being reintroduced in the previous championships. These championships featured separate races of men's 15 km and women's 10 km both in the...
on her home soil in Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, where she won the following medals:
- Gold medal in the 15 km
- Gold medal in the 4 x 5 km
- Silver medal in the 10 km freestyle
- Bronze medal in the 10 km classical
- Bronze medal in the 30 km classical
She retired after these championships at 24 years old to concentrate on her studies at the Helsinki University of Technology
Helsinki University of Technology
Aalto University School of Science and Technology , was the temporary name for Helsinki University of Technology during the process of forming the Aalto University...
and politics.
Matikainen-Kallström also was the first winner of the women's 30 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival
Holmenkollen ski festival
The Holmenkollen Ski Festival is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. It takes place in March and has been arranged every year since 1892, except for 1898 and during World War II...
in 1988.