Only two days after the surprising announcement, the ski star shares a much more personal moment.

“My little lion king,” writes Iivo Niskanen with a photo of himself holding his newborn son, reminiscent of a scene from the famous Disney movie.

The Finnish ski star is now a father of three. He and his wife Saana already have two children: a son born in December 2022 and a daughter born in September 2024. The couple married in 2018 and lives in the archipelago outside Kuopio, where they moved last year.

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A post shared by Iivo Niskanen (@iivoniskanen)

Emotional moment during interview

The family life of the Finnish Olympic and World Champion came into focus this winter when Niskanen broke down during an interview, discussing the sacrifices his family has made for his career. In a later interview, the 34-year-old opened up even more.

“The kids have not been to daycare a single day. Saana has been home with them all winter. The children have only been able to see their friends outdoors for several months,” Niskanen said in March.

Health issues

Niskanen missed the entire World Championships in Trondheim in 2025 due to illness, and this winter’s Olympics in Italy marked the worst of his career.

He finished 17th in the skiathlon, his only individual placement, after withdrawing from the 10-kilometer race and having to drop out of the 50-kilometer due to illness. Since then, the comments have poured in.

Now, the World Championships in Falun in February are Niskanen’s main goal.

Withdrawing from all national team gatherings

The joyful news about the family addition comes just after Iivo Niskanen announced that he is withdrawing from all national team gatherings. He will only join the national team when the season starts.

Read More: Withdrawing from all national team gatherings

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