CALGARY 1988
- 13–28 February 1988
- 46 official medal events.
- 1,425 competitors from 57 countries.
- Finnish team: 57 athletes (53 participated in official events).
The Olympic Winter Games of 1988 are remembered in Finland for two things above all: Matti Nykänen’s superior ski jumping and the first ever medal of Finnish ice hockey. Nykänen’s worst opponent at the Calgary Games was the Chinook wind that caused the postponement of the large hill competition for three days and the team competition for a week. Nykänen became the first ski jumper to win both individual Olympic competitions and won a third gold medal in the team event. Marjo Matikainen maintained Finland’s credentials in cross-country skiing by winning gold in women’s 5-kilometre race. The Finnish men’s best skiing result was Kari Ristanen’s seventh place in 50 kilometres. The Finnish Lions began the ice hockey tournament by losing to Switzerland but went on to beat hosts Canada 3–1 and advanced to the medal round as group winners. The historic first medal was clinched by an 8–0 defeat of the Federal Republic of Germany, but in their final game the Lions went one better. A 2–1 victory over the USSR, courtesy of goals by Janne Ojanen and Erkki Lehtonen, raised the Lions above Sweden to silver medal position in the final table.
