After winning 2: 1 over the Russians and their compatriots, they celebrated the first Olympic title in history and Anttila he said contentedly, “Sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone because of a dream.”
He had good reason, he uttered such sentences. The striker of the Helsinki Jokerit is not only a growing symbol of Finnish domination, but also serves as a living example of the bizarreness of the Olympic Games during a pandemic.
Anttila arrived in Beijing after suffering a coronavirus a few days before departure. Although he was fit and showed no symptoms, Chinese tests again evaluated him as infected 18 days after the first positive result. He wandered in isolation without mercy, and not even the Finnish complaints helped.
“It is no longer infectious,” said Finnish coach Jukka Jalonen. “There is no medical reason to stay in a quarantine hotel,” said Finnish Olympic doctor Maarit Valtonen.
“One had a lot of time to think. It wasn’t bad, just boring and frustrating, “Anttila himself explained.
In Beijing, the Finnish hockey player was certainly not the only Olympian whose covid tests were imprisoned in solitary confinement. But as a meter-long purchase, perhaps the cruelest he paid for the lousy Chinese food.
Often the only proper meal was a small portion of chilled spaghetti bolognese, which, judge for yourself, is not the perfect nutrition for a giant before a top tournament.
“Six days in quarantine took a lot of energy, but I wanted to show that I’m a big player,” Anttila motivated. After the first missed duel in the basic group, coach Jalonen installed it back in the lineup.
“And his return encouraged the team incredibly. Everyone in the cabin follows him. Marko inspires, “the defender Sami Vatanen responded to the inquiry after the final of MF DNES and iDNES.cz. “And have you seen how many important goals he has scored in previous seasons?”
At the age of thirty-six, the freed giant finished the game with a 2 + 1 balance and had a huge share in the decisive shot in the final. Anttila moves a little unsightly, but with his parameters his opponent hardly robs him of the puck.
That’s why he grinded him into the firing position above the rings right at the beginning of the third period. His cunning attempt was made by Björninen. Goal, 2: 1 and the gold was already laughing at the Finns. “We just talked during the break that we needed to shoot more when there was a commotion in front of the goal,” said Anttila.
He dismissed the leadership position in Beijing, a year older from Filppul, who returned to Europe after a 16-year shift in the NHL. Even without a jersey, Anttila behaved like a leader. “I confess that in isolation you are not nervous about how you play the finals,” he mused. “When I got here, I put my hand to the work.”
Neither covid nor unpredictable times stopped the hockey colossus.
And the Finnish era continues.
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