Suvi Minkkinen awaits birthday cake at the finish line – still amazed by her third place: “It feels like a hangover”

Suvi Minkkinen got to enjoy cake immediately at the finish line to celebrate her 30th birthday.

During the weekend of winter sports from December 6-8, 2024, Yle Urheilu reported on multiple competitions in biathlon.

Minkkinen took a moment to reflect after an impressive performance that earned her a podium finish—the first in her career during Saturday's sprint at Kontiolahti.

Commenting on her experience, Minkkinen noted, "I didn't get much sleep. It felt a bit like a hangover this morning, although we didn't really celebrate last night."

Even after a thrilling first day, she emphasized the balance of managing expectations while feeling pleased about her performance. Despite finishing 11th in the next race, Minkkinen was happy with her results, noting, "It couldn't have started better."

On Minkkinen's birthday, she was treated with a cake from Venla Lehtonen and other Finnish supporters right at the finish line. With a smile on her face, she enjoyed the celebration.

In the women's biathlon for the 12.5 km race, Elvira Öberg from Sweden claimed victory with a time of 35:58.6, followed by Julia Simon from France, and Franziska Preuss from Germany. Minkkinen's time placed her 11th, 1 minute and 5.3 seconds behind the lead.

Despite the challenges, Minkkinen expressed her contentment with a week that showcased the hard work she put in during the summer, saying, "It's fantastic to see the results already at the start of the season."

The race and celebrations captured the spirit of competition and camaraderie in winter sports, culminating in Minkkinen's joyous birthday celebration at the finish line.