Risto Laakkonen
Risto Juhani Laakkonen ( born May 6, 1967 in Kuopio ) is a former Finnish ski jumper. His biggest success was the win of Team Gold at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville.
Career
He made his debut in the Ski Jumping World Cup on January 11, 1986 in Harrachov and immediately reached the eighth rank. In the following years he was one of the extended world top. In 1988 and 1989 he won the World Cup competition in the Canadian Thunder Bay. In the winter of 1988/89 he emerged as the overall winner of the Four Hills Tournament, without winning a single jump; in Oberstdorf, he finished second in Garmisch -Partenkirchen, third, seventh in Innsbruck and in Bischofshofen only tenth. In the overall World Cup Laakkonen this season was seventh; it would be his best position.
Other achievements he could celebrate with the Finnish team. In the Nordic World Ski Championships 1989 in Lahti, he was with the team world champion in 1991 in Val di Fiemme then Vice World Champion. At the Olympic Winter Games in 1992 he won with the team, which also includes Ari -Pekka Nikkola, Mika Laitinen, and Toni Nieminen included, the gold medal. With the end of the season, he finished his career.