Mira Potkonen

Mira Marjut Johanna Potkonen (née Miettinen, born 17 November 1980)[2][3] is a Finnish lightweight boxer. She won a bronze medal in the 60 kg category at the 2016 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympics,[4][5] the latter being Finland's only medal at the games.

Mira Potkonen
Statistics
Weight classLightweight
Weight(s)60 kg (132 lb)
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
NationalityFinnish
Born (1980-11-17) 17 November 1980
Heinävesi, Finland
Boxing record[1]
Total fights259
Wins224
Wins by KO8
Losses34
Draws1
No contests0
Medal record
Women's amateur boxing
Representing  Finland
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place2020 TokyoLightweight
Bronze medal – third place2016 Rio de JaneiroLightweight
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2016 AstanaLightweight
Bronze medal – third place2019 Ulan-UdeLightweight
European Games
Gold medal – first place2019 MinskLightweight
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2018 SofiaLightweight
Gold medal – first place2019 AlcobendasLightweight
Silver medal – second place2016 SofiaLightweight
European Union Championships
Gold medal – first place2017 CasciaLightweight
Bronze medal – third place2010 KeszthelyLightweight
Bronze medal – third place2011 KatowiceLightweight
Bronze medal – third place2013 KeszthelyLightweight

Career

2016 Summer Olympics
See also: Boxing at the 2016 Summer Olympics

In the second round of competition, the quarterfinals, of lightweight boxing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in August 2016, Potkonen defeated the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the event, Katie Taylor and advanced to the next round of competition, the semifinals.[6] By the end of competition, Potkonen won the bronze medal in the event.[7] It was the only medal for Finland at the 2016 Summer Olympics in any sport, and the first medal in boxing for the country at an Olympic Games since the 1992 Summer Olympics.[8]

2020 Summer Olympics
See also: Boxing at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, company Gracenote released its medal count predictions for the year's Olympic Games including a prediction that Potkonen would win the silver medal in lightweight boxing.[9] At the 2020 European Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament, Potkonen lost to Caroline Dubois in the first round of competition and did not directly qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.[10][11] However she qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games based on ranking. In the Olympics, which took place in 2021 due to COVID-19, Potkonen beat Maïva Hamadouche, Oh Yeon-ji and Esra Yıldız to guarantee a bronze medal. In the semi finals Potkonen lost to Beatriz Ferreira which meant Potkonen got a bronze medal.

Legacy

Potkonen's Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil made her a flag-bearer symbol for more conventional summer sports in her home country of Finland, where sports such as ice hockey tend to be more popular activities.[12]

In 2020, Potkonen was highlighted by the International Olympic Committee for the impact she has had as an inspiration for young female boxers from nations not as well-known for boxing, including teenager Mariah Bahe looking to fight representing the Navajo Nation at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[8]

References
  1. "Boxing record for Mira Potkonen". BoxRec.
  2. "Potkonen Mira Marjut Johanna". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  3. "POTKONEN Mira". Rio2016.com. Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  4. "Mira Potkosen taival päättyi MM-pronssille" (in Finnish). Yle.fi. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  5. "Mira Potkoselle olympialaisista sensaatiomainen nyrkkeilymitali". 15 August 2016.
  6. "Defending champion Katie Taylor crashes out of Olympic Games". The Irish Times. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  7. "Boxing: Women's lightweight (60kg) bronze medal A results". The Washington Post. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  8. Watta, Evelyn (4 December 2020). "Mariah Bahe aiming to continue tradition of Olympic medallists from less-known boxing nations". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  9. O'Riordan, Ian (28 January 2020). "Ireland predicted to win best ever Olympic medal haul in Tokyo". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  10. Lewis, Ron (9 June 2021). "Nine things we learnt from the European Boxing Olympic qualifiers". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  11. McRae, Donald (23 June 2021). "Team GB name 11-strong Olympic boxing squad packed with talent". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  12. Kamath, Amit (14 November 2018). "Women's World Boxing Championships: Olympic medalist Mira Potkonen emerges as flag-bearer of conventional sports in Finland". Firstpost. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
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