After a successful last season, the Finnish traditional cross-country skier Emil Liekari, who has risen to the A national team, is one of those athletes who have managed to turn their beloved childhood hobby into a profession.

Emil Liekari achieved his best results in the World Cup last season. Now focusing solely on his sports career, Liekari notes that the support from his parents and the influence of his idols have played a significant role in his career.

Originally from Kouvola, Liekari was active in many sports as a child. His parents encouraged him to pursue sports, but he was never forced into training. In addition to skiing, soccer was a part of Liekari’s life for a long time, but eventually, skiing felt more like his true calling.

The skiing enthusiasm was also influenced by Liekari’s idols Ville Nousiainen and Lauri Lepistö, whose training Liekari had the chance to follow closely in Kouvola.

“As a child, I had the opportunity to watch Ville and Lauri ski during the Kouvola Ski Club’s practices. Lauri was a big deal back then too, and it was amazing to see him win medals in youth competitions,” says Liekari to Maastohiihto.com.

Now 23, Liekari finds himself in a situation where his childhood hobby has become his profession. At the same time, he has become a respected role model for many young athletes.

“It’s great if I can offer a good example to younger skiers and be a role model.”

Liekari’s Kouvola roots are still evident in his life as he now lives in Vuokatti and represents the Vuokatti Ski Team Kainuu. For instance, beating his former clubmate Lauri Lepistö is always a special moment for him.

“It always feels good to beat someone from the same club, but of course, I also wish him success. Lauri is a great role model for everyone.”

Liekari has long been clear that he wants to commit fully to his sports career. For example, studying alongside sports hasn’t felt right to him.

“When I do something, I do it thoroughly and to the end. Now I’m going to see this through, and after my skiing career, I’ll look for something else to do.”

Belief in the Future from Last Season’s Success

Liekari, who achieved his best World Cup results last season, says that these successes have given him strength for summer training and confidence for the upcoming competition season.

In addition to good sprint performances, the 21st place in the ten-kilometer race at the Falun World Cup is one of the standout memories for Liekari from last season.

“That was a big deal for me, getting to race as a substitute and earning a good points position. It’s still on my mind and a sign to myself that I can compete internationally at a high level beyond just sprints.”

Although Liekari’s main focus for the upcoming season is the World Championships in Trondheim and the World Cup, he also values the Finnish national competitions highly.

“Those are important races too, and we now have such a high level among the men that you have to ski really well to make it into the top five. I always have good energy for those races and a good feeling going into them. I especially enjoy the Finnish Cups in the spring.”

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