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BOXING
The Rio Games will see Finland return to Olympic boxing after 16 years. Finland has a fair pedigree in the Olympic ring: Finnish
fighters have won two gold, one silver and eleven bronze medals over the years. The golden days are in distant past, however:
Sten Suvio won the welterweight category in Berlin 1936 and Pentti Hämäläinen took the bantamweight (54 kg) title in
Helsinki 1952. The latest Finnish medallist has been Jyri Kjäll, who took bronze in the 63.5 category in Barcelona 1992.
WOMEN
Mira Potkonen
* 17 November 1980 Heinävesi
Present residence: Nokia
165 cm, 60 kg
Club: Tampereen Voimailuseura
Coach: Maarit Teuronen
Weight class: 60 kg
Mira Potkonen becomes the first Finnish woman to take part in an Olympic boxing tournament. She
booked her ticket to Rio 2016 in grand style by winning bronze at the World Championships in Astana, Kazakstan
in May. Mira has been a recognized contender in women’s 60-kg category for several years, but she has often been
unlucky with the draw at major tournaments. Before this year her best results were three bronze medals at Europe-
an Union Championships. Mira is married with two daughters.
ACHIEVEMENTS (all in 60 kg):
2010 EurUnionCh bronze.
2011 EurCh 9–16th. EurUnionCh bronze.
2012 WCh 17–32nd.
2013 EurUnionCh bronze.
2014 WCh 9–16th. EurCh 9–16th.
2015 European Games 9–16th.
2016 WCh bronze.
Jarkko Pitkänen
Coach
Maarit Teuronen
Coach
Aarslan Khataev
Sparring Partner
Team Management