LAKE PLACID 1980
- 13–24 February 1980
- 38 official medal events.
- 1,072 competitors from 37 countries.
- Finnish team: 54 athletes (52 participated in official events).
In Finland the Olympic Winter Games of 1980 are forever remembered for a defeat. Juha Mieto lost the gold in 15 kilometres cross-country skiing to Thomas Wassberg of Sweden by 0.01 seconds. Mieto took another silver medal in the 50 kilometres and also rescued the Finnish team to bronze in the relay race. Another two-time Finnish silver medallist was Hilkka Riihivuori in women’s cross-country skiing races. Jouko Karjalainen was the fastest skier in the Nordic combined competition to win yet another silver medal. For a gold medal Finns had to wait until the last day of competitions. Ski jumper Jouko Törmänen won the large hill competition with young Jari Puikkonen accompanying him on the podium with bronze. In Lake Placid the Finnish Lions finally made their breakthrough into the world elite of ice hockey. After defeating Canada they advanced to the medal round where they led in the third period against both the Soviet Union and the USA but eventually lost both games and finished fourth in the tournament.
