Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi
Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi 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, 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 and 4 × 5 km relay, and five silvers in the 5 km, 10 km and 15 km. 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, Raimo Helminen, Teemu Selänne, Kyra Kyrklund, Juha Hirvi, and Hannu Manninen.
Cross-country skiing results
All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).Olympic Games
- 7 medals –
| 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 | ||||
| [Cross-country skiing at the Cross-country skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics|1984 Winter Olympics|1984] | 28 | Gold | Gold | Gold | Bronze | |||
| 1988 | 32 | 5 | 9 | 11 | Bronze | |||
| 1992 | 36 | 31 | 6 | [Cross-country skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics – Women's 10 kilometre freestyle pursuit|] | — | 4 | ||
| 1994 | 38 | Bronze | — | 13 | Bronze | 4 |
World Championships
- 8 medals –
| 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 | — | — | 4 |
World Cup
Season titles
- 2 titles –
Individual podiums
- 11 victories
- 27 podiums
| No. | Season | Date | Location | Race | Level | Place | |||||||||
| 1 | 1982–83 | 12 December 1982 |  Team podiums
|
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