Finland competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016. They earned three medals, one gold, one silver and one bronze.
Disability classifications
Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis. Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities, other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability.
Medalists
Medal Name Sport Event Class Date Leo-Pekka Tähti Athletics Men's 100 metres T54 17 September Marjaana Heikkinen Athletics Women's javelin throw F34 9 September Henry Manni Athletics Men's 100 metres T34 13 September
Finnish Paralympic team
The Finnish Paralympic team consists of 26 athletes and 2 guide athletes, who compete in 11 sports. Chef de mission is Kimmo Mustonen.
+ Competitors from Finland per sport Sport Men Women Total Guides Archery 2 0 2 0 Athletics 4 3 7 1 Cycling 2 0 2 1 Equestrian 0 1 1 0 Goalball 6 0 6 0 Paratriathlon 0 1 1 0 Powerlifting 1 0 1 0 Sailing 1 0 1 0 Shooting 0 1 1 0 Swimming 2 1 3 0 Table tennis 1 0 1 0 Total 19 7 26 2
Archery
Jere Forsberg earned Finland a spot at the Rio Games following his performance at the 2015 World Archery Para Championships. He qualified the country after his performance in the compound men's open. Jean Pierre Antonios earned Finland a second qualifying spot after making the round of eight in the W1 men event.
AthleteEvent and classificationRanking round1/16 Eliminations1/8 EliminationsQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalsFinal rankScoreRankOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreJean-Pierre AntoniosMen's individual compound W159412L 131–123did not advance9Jere ForsbergMen's individual compound open67210W 141–136L 136–140did not advance9 Legend: W = win, L = loss
Athletics
Track and road events AthleteEvent and classificationRound 1SemifinalsFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankHenry ManniMen's 100 metres T3415.78 SB3 Qalign=center colspan=2 15.46 PBMen's 800 metres T341:47.516 Qalign=center colspan=2 1:41.92 RR4Esa-Pekka MattilaMen's 100 metres T5415.07 SB11align=center colspan=2 did not advanceAmanda KotajaWomen's 100 metres T5416.766 Qalign=center colspan=2 16.476Women's 400 metres T5459.17 SB10align=center colspan=2 did not advanceRonja OjaGuide: Jesper OjaWomen's 100 metres T1113.39 NR13did not advanceToni PiispanenMen's 100 metres T51align=center colspan=4 22.024Men's 400 metres T51align=center colspan=4 1:30.276Leo-Pekka TähtiMen's 100 metres T5414.001 Qalign=center colspan=2 13.90 Legend: SB = season best, Q = qualified by place, PB = personal best, RR = European record, NR = Finnish record
Field events
AthleteEvent and classificationFinalResultRankMarjaana HeikkinenWomen's javelin throw F3418.42 SBWomen's shot put F346.267Ronja OjaGuide: Jesper OjaWomen's long jump T114.30 =PB9 Legend: SB = season best, PB = personal best
Cycling
With one pathway for qualification being one highest ranked NPCs on the UCI Para-Cycling male and female Nations Ranking Lists on 31 December 2014, Finland qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, assuming they continued to meet all other eligibility requirements.
AthleteEvent and classificationTimeRankJarmo OllanketoPilot: Tommi MartikainenMen's road race B2:32:0910Men's road time trial B36:39.839Jani PeltopuroMen's road race H31:39:258Men's road time trial H332:32.8110
Equestrian The country earned an individual slot via the Para Equestrian Individual Ranking List Allocation method.
AthleteHorseEvent and gradeTotalScoreRankKatja KarjalainenWoikoski High FlowIndividual championship test grade Ia71.0437Individual Freestyle test grade Ia71.8507
Goalball
The Finland men's national goalball team qualified for the Rio Games after finishing second at the 2014 IBSA Goalball World Championships. Finnish women failed to qualify at the 2014 World Championships, finishing two spots out of medal contention in fifth place at the home hosted event. Finland's men enter the tournament ranked 6th in the world.
TeamEventPreliminaryQuarterfinalsSemifinalsGold / BronzeRankOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreFinland men'sMen's tournamentL 6–13L 5–8L 2–6W 11–75did not advance9 Legend: W = win, L = loss
Paratriathlon
AthleteEvent and classificationSwim (750 m)Transition 1Bike (22.28 km)Transition 2Run (5.0 km)Total TimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankLiisa LiljaWomen's PT213:0042:23443:4341:21525:3421:26:014
Powerlifting
AthleteEventBest lift (kg)RankJuhani KokkoMen's 59 kg1456
Sailing
One pathway for qualifying for Rio involved having a boat have top seven finish at the 2015 Combined World Championships in a medal event where the country had nor already qualified through via the 2014 IFDS Sailing World Championships. Finland qualified for the 2016 Games under this criterion in the 2.4m event with a thirteenth-place finish overall and the third country who had not qualified via the 2014 Championships. The boat was crewed by Niko Salomaa.
AthleteEventPoints per RaceNet pointsFinal rank1234567891011Niko Salomaa1-Person Keelboat (2.4mR)9117997149468798 Legend: 14 = excluded score
Shooting
The first opportunity to qualify for shooting at the Rio Games took place at the 2014 IPC Shooting World Championships in Suhl. Shooters earned spots for their NPC. Finland earned a qualifying spot at this competition in the R5 – 10m Air Rifle Prone Mixed SH2 event as a result of the performance of Minna Sinikka Leinonen.
AthleteEvent and classificationQualificationFinalPointsRankPointsRankMinna LeinonenMixed 10 metre air rifle prone SH2630.918did not advance
Swimming
AthleteEvent and classificationHeatsFinalResultRankResultRankAntti LatikkaMen's 50m Freestyle S1326.2216did not advanceMen's 100m Backstroke S131:01.935 Q1:02.846Men's 100m Butterfly S131:03.7217did not advanceMen's 200m Individual Medley SM132:23.7013did not advanceLeo LähteenmäkiMen's 50 metre freestyle S926.7410did not advanceMen's 100 metre butterfly S91:09.4314did not advanceMen's 100 metre freestyle S959.0815did not advanceMeri-Maari MäkinenWomen's 50m Butterfly S744.5210did not advanceWomen's 100m Backstroke S71:39.5614did not advanceWomen's 100m Breaststroke SB71:59.7911did not advanceWomen's 200m Individual Medley SM7Disqualifieddid not advance Legend: Q = qualified for the next phase
Table tennis
AthleteEvent and classificationPreliminariesRound 1QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalsRankOppositionResultOppositionResultRankOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultEsa MiettinenMen's individual C9L 0–3L 2–33did not advance Legend: L = loss
See also Finland at the 2016 Summer Olympics
References