Mira Marjut Johanna Potkonen (née Miettinen, born 17 November 1980) is a Finnish lightweight boxer. She won a bronze medal in the 60 kg category at the 2016 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympics, the latter being Finland's only medal at the 2016 Games.
Career 2016 Summer Olympics
In the second round of competition, the quarterfinals, of lightweight boxing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in August 2016, Potkonen defeated the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the event, Katie Taylor and advanced to the next round of competition, the semifinals."Defending champion Katie Taylor crashes out of Olympic Games". The Irish Times. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2021. By the end of the competition, Potkonen won the bronze medal in the event."Boxing: Women's lightweight (60kg) bronze medal A results". The Washington Post. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2021. It was the only medal for Finland at the 2016 Summer Olympics in any sport, and the first medal in boxing for the country at an Olympic Games since the 1992 Summer Olympics.
2020 Summer Olympics
Ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, company Gracenote released its medal count predictions for the year's Olympic Games, including a prediction that Potkonen would win the silver medal in lightweight boxing.O'Riordan, Ian (28 January 2020). "Ireland predicted to win best ever Olympic medal haul in Tokyo". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 July 2021. At the 2020 European Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament, Potkonen lost to Caroline Dubois in the first round of competition and did not directly qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.Lewis, Ron (9 June 2021). "Nine things we learnt from the European Boxing Olympic qualifiers". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 15 July 2021.McRae, Donald (23 June 2021). "Team GB name 11-strong Olympic boxing squad packed with talent". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2021. However, she qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games based on ranking. In the Olympics, which took place in 2021 due to COVID-19, Potkonen beat Maïva Hamadouche, Oh Yeon-ji and Esra Yıldız to guarantee a bronze medal. In the semi-finals, Potkonen lost to Beatriz Ferreira, which meant Potkonen got a bronze medal.
Legacy Potkonen's Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil made her a flag-bearer symbol for more conventional summer sports in her home country of Finland, where sports such as ice hockey tend to be more popular activities.Kamath, Amit (14 November 2018). "Women's World Boxing Championships: Olympic medalist Mira Potkonen emerges as flag-bearer of conventional sports in Finland". Firstpost. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
In 2020, Potkonen was highlighted by the International Olympic Committee for the impact she has had as an inspiration for young female boxers from nations not as well known for boxing, including teenager Mariah Bahe looking to fight representing the Navajo Nation at the 2024 Summer Olympics.Watta, Evelyn (4 December 2020). "Mariah Bahe aiming to continue tradition of Olympic medallists from less-known boxing nations". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
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