Finnish Olympic Champion Receives Cancer Diagnosis
In the summer, the three-time Olympic champion had a mole removed, and a melanoma was discovered in it.
"I have experienced numerous ups and downs, but in recent months there have been some bigger than usual. A melanoma discovered in a mole on my foot, which was removed in the summer, turned my summer plans upside down," writes Finnish Olympic champion Iivo Niskanen on Instagram.
A melanoma is a malignant tumor, but Niskanen had a lucky break, as his diagnosis is "in situ." This means that the tumor has only spread within its original tissue and has not yet grown invasively into neighboring tissue.
Missed Training Camp
Due to the complex location of the mole and the necessary operations, the Finn had to take a break over the summer and missed the start of training.
Meanwhile, Iivo Niskanen is back in training and optimistic: "At the moment, it feels good. Training is progressing, and I can enjoy time with our baby between sessions."
The gold medalist from 2014 (team sprint), 2018 (over 50 kilometers), and 2022 (over 15 kilometers) concludes his statement with the sentence: "Despite everything, I look forward with confidence to the start of the competition season."
