Veli Saarinen

Veli Selim Saarinen (16 September 1902 – 12 October 1969) was a Finnish cross-country skier who competed in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics.

Veli Saarinen

Saarinen in the 1930s
Personal information
Born	16 September 1902 Martinsaari, Virolahti, Finland
Died	12 October 1969 (aged 67) Helsinki, Finland
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
Sport	Cross-country skiing
Club	Kouvolan Hiihtoseura Lahden Hiihtoseura
Medal record Men's cross-country skiing Representing  Finland Olympic Games 1932 Lake Placid 50 km 1932 Lake Placid 18 km World Championships} 1929 Zakopane 17 km 1933 Innsbruck 50 km 1934 Sollefteå 4 × 10 km relay 1929 Zakopane 50 km 1934 Sollefteå 18 km 1926 Lahti 30 km

In 1928 he finished fourth in the 18 km event. Four years later he won a gold in the 50 km and a bronze in the 18 km event, becoming the first Finnish cross-country skier to win an Olympic gold medal. Yet his biggest success came at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, where he won six medals between 1926 and 1934, including three gold medals.[1]

Domestically Saarinen won only two titles, over 50 km in 1930–31. In 1934 he retired from competitions and later coached the German (1934–1937) and Finnish (1937–1968) national cross-country skiing teams. In 1947–1968 he also served as a chief executive of the Finnish Skiing Federation.[1]