Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi (née Hämäläinen; born 10 September 1955) is a Finnish former cross-country skier.
Career She was the big figure at the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo, winning all three individual cross-country skiing events (5, 10 and 20 km), and a bronze medal for Finland in the relay. In the process, she became the most successful athlete at the 1984 Winter Olympics. At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, she won another relay bronze medal, and at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, she won two more bronze medals in the 5 and 30 km.
At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Kirvesniemi won three golds in the 10 km (1989) and 4 × 5 km relay (1978, 1989), and five silvers in the 5 km (1985, 1991), 10 km (1985) and 15 km (1989, 1993). She also won the 20 km double pursuit at the 1989 Holmenkollen ski festival.
Kirvesniemi won the Holmenkollen medal in 1989. Her husband, Harri, would be awarded the Holmenkollen medal in 1998. They were the third husband-and-wife pair that won this prestigious honor. They are the only married couple to have both competed at six Olympics, and are among the only eight Finns to have done so - the others being Janne Ahonen (ski jumping), Raimo Helminen (ice hockey), Teemu Selänne (ice hockey), Kyra Kyrklund (dressage), Juha Hirvi (shooting), and Hannu Manninen (Nordic combined).
Cross-country skiing results All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Olympic Games 7 medals – (3 gold, 4 bronze) Year Age 5 km 10 km 15 km Pursuit 20 km 30 km 4 × 5 km relay 1976 20 — 22 — 1980 24 19 18 5 1984 28 Gold Gold Gold Bronze 1988 32 5 9 11 Bronze 1992 36 31 6 —4 1994 38 Bronze — 13 Bronze4
World Championships 8 medals – (3 gold, 5 silver) Year Age 5 km 10 km classical 10 km freestyle 15 km Pursuit 20 km 30 km 4 × 5 km relay 1978 22 — 23 16 Gold 1982 26 17 11 17 4 1985 29 Silver Silver 12 4 1989 33 Gold — Silver 8 Gold 1991 35 Silver — 12 — 4 1993 37 14 Silver DNS — 4
World Cup Season titles 2 titles – (2 overall) SeasonDiscipline1983 Overall1984 Overall
Season standings Season Age Overall 1982 26 18 1983 27 1984 28 1985 29 10 1988 32 1989 33 6 1991 35 17 1992 36 10 1993 37 8 1994 38 10
Individual podiums 11 victories 27 podiums No. Season Date Location Race Level Place1 1982–83 12 December 1982 Val di Sole, Italy 5 km Individual World Cup 2nd2 25 February 1983 Falun, Sweden 10 km Individual World Cup 2nd3 5 March 1983 Lahti, Finland 5 km Individual World Cup 1st4 12 March 1983 Oslo, Norway 20 km Individual World Cup 2nd5 20 March 1983 Anchorage, United States 10 km Individual World Cup 1st6 27 March 1983 Labrador City, Canada 10 km Individual World Cup 1st7 1983–84 17 December 1983 Autrans, France 10 km Individual World Cup 1st8 9 February 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia 10 km Individual Olympic Games 1st9 12 February 1984 5 km Individual Olympic Games 1st10 18 February 1984 20 km Individual Olympic Games 1st11 25 February 1984 Falun, Sweden 10 km Individual World Cup 3rd12 8 March 1984 Oslo, Norway 20 km Individual World Cup 2nd13 1984–85 19 February 1985 Seefeld, Austria 10 km Individual World Championships 2nd14 21 February 1985 5 km Individual World Championships 2nd15 1987–88 19 December 1987 Reit im Winkl, West Germany 5 km Individual FWorld Cup 1st16 17 March 1988 Oslo, Norway 30 km Individual C World Cup 2nd17 1988–89 17 February 1989 Lahti, Finland 10 km Individual CWorld Championships 1st18 21 February 1989 15 km Individual C World Championships 2nd19 4 March 1989 Oslo, Norway 20 km Individual CWorld Cup 1st20 1990–91 12 February 1991 Val di Fiemme, Italy 5 km Individual C World Championships 2nd21 1991–92 4 January 1992 Kavgolovo, Russia 15 km Individual C World Cup 3rd22 7 March 1992 Funäsdalen, Sweden 5 km Individual CWorld Cup 1st23 1992–93 9 January 1993 Ulrichen, Switzerland 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd24 19 February 1993 Falun, Sweden 15 km Individual C World Championships 2nd25 1993–94 8 January 1994 Kavgolovo, Russia 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd26 15 February 1994 Lillehammer, Norway 5 km Individual C Olympic Games 3rd27 24 February 1994 30 km Individual C Olympic Games 3rd
Team podiums
1 victory 8 podiums
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates1 1983–84 15 February 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia 4 × 5 km Relay Olympic Games 3rd Määttä / Hyytiäinen / Matikainen2 26 February 1984 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay World Cup 2nd Hyytiäinen / Määttä / Savolainen 3 1984–85 10 March 1985 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay World Cup 3rd Määttä / Hyytiäinen / Matikainen4 1987–88 21 February 1988 Calgary, Canada 4 × 5 km Relay F Olympic Games 3rd Määttä / Matikainen / Savolainen5 13 March 1988 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C World Cup 2nd Matikainen / Hyytiäinen / Määttä6 1988–8923 February 1989 Lahti, Finland 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Championships 1st Määttä / Savolainen / Matikainen7 1990–91 10 March 1991 Falun, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C World Cup 3rd Lukkarinen / Lahtinen / Savolainen8 1991–92 8 March 1992 Funäsdalen, Sweden 4 × 5 km Relay C World Cup 3rd Riikola / Lukkarinen / Savolainen9 1993–94 4 March 1994 Lahti, Finland 4 × 5 km Relay C World Cup 3rd Rolig / Pyykkönen / Lahtinen
Note: Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.
See also List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
References
Holmenkollen medalists - click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file Holmenkollen winners since 1892 - click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file
External links