The team won the gold medal of the Olympic Games in ice hockey. In the final, the Finns sensationally defeated the team of the Russian Olympic Committee 2: 1. It is the first Olympic gold for this country in this discipline.
“Garbaty” Finn stopped Russia again. He is an iconic figure
the media does not leave a dry thread on those responsible for the preparation of hockey players for the Beijing Olympics. “Everyone for whom the result is more important than the game should go. No shame” – we read on one of the blogs of the Sports.ru portal.
In another article on the Championat.com portal we read that “two-meter bad talent” caused the Russian Olympic Committee the most problems. The author has in mind Marko Anttila, whom he describes as “a hockey player with an exceptional body (two meters and five centimeters tall, hunchbacked, with a completely unpleasant appearance)”. And he recalls that in the final, Anttila had half of his share in the winning goal for his country.
The aforementioned Suomi representative is indeed the flagship character of his team. The Finnish media already describes him as the “cult striker”. It is one of ten countries that have won not only Olympic gold, but also the world championships from three years ago. The championship was then played in Slovakia, and Anttila scored two goals in the final, including the most important one, winning 3: 1 over Canada.
In the semi-finals of that championship, in which Finland faced Russia, Anttila scored the only goal of the match and his team eliminated their rivals. Now the hockey player is described as the one who “always stops Russia”.
The 36-year-old has a very special position in Finnish hockey. Anyone who follows the sport will recognize it, its style of play, and how it moves on the skates. And the fact is what the Russians noticed. Looking at this hockey player, you can say that he is simply great.
He helped Finland again. Even the quarantine did not stop
During the Games, however, he got a taste of uncertainty, because he was quarantined. While his colleagues were studying ice at the National Indoor Sports Center, he had to do push-ups and squats in a hotel room. – It was a different tournament and it required mental toughness. The uncertainty must have been endured quite well, confessed the right-winger forward quoted by “Helsingin Sanomat”. Fortunately, he managed to leave the isolation and helped his colleagues.
Marko Anttila is representing Jokerit Helsinki in the KHL league games. This season he played in 40 games in which he scored 6 goals. His career started in earnest in 2003, when he was playing at the third highest level in Finland for Leki. Fortunately he was noticed by the Chicago Blackhawks. It is said that the deciding factor for the club to choose the Finn was his height and a strong blow.
Then his career gained momentum. From 2004, he played for the Finnish team of Ilves. Later he moved successively to TPS, Metalurg Nowoku¼nieck, Ariada Wo³¿sk, and Örebro HK until he joined the current Jokerit club. – I am very proud of what I can represent and what team I belong to. It’s a good place to play – says the “humpbacked” hockey player today, who has stopped Russia again.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
