Iivo Niskanen has an amazing lucky number: "If I could choose someone"

Iivo Niskanen has an amazing lucky number: "If I could choose someone"

Iivo Niskanen and the number 64 are an unstoppable combination. According to Kalle Lassila, Niskanen's skiing has not yet reached its best despite his recent success.

Niskanen considers 64 to be a magical number. It was the same number he wore when he won the World Championship in Lahti in 2017 and again five years later in Beijing. Niskanen won the 15-kilometer interval start race in commanding style, enjoying the magic of his bib number after his latest Olympic victory.

In 2022, he referred to this magical number on his Instagram after the Beijing triumph, linking it to both his victories in Lahti and Beijing. Recently, he celebrated his first 10km interval start race win at the World Cup level, where he again wore the number 64.

The number 64 also holds significance for ice hockey player Mikael Granlund, who is remembered for a spectacular goal in the 2011 World Championships against Russia. Niskanen humorously questioned whether the number should be retired for him or Granlund. He admitted that the number is important to him, saying, "It has worked for me. If I could choose any number, I would choose it for the draw."

Even though he hasn't triumphed in two and a half years, his exuberance during the celebrations was palpable.

Lassila is inspired by the passion that a champion like Niskanen still shows towards the sport. He noted that there's a provocative side to Niskanen's personality, fueling his competitive edge as he makes a statement through his performance.

Niskanen has upcoming races and expressed motivation to return to competitive sprinting after a long absence. Expecting his first three-minute effort of the season, he said, "Let's see what I can do. Hopefully, I can make a performance that is good enough to advance."