How did you find your way to Aalto?
I come from Seinäjoki and moved to Helsinki in 2021 because training with the national team requires me to live in the capital region. I was interested in engineering, and two speed skater friends recommended Aalto. After completing my military service, I applied and was accepted into the bachelor’s programme.
Tell us about your studies…
My major is electronics and electrophysics, and I am about to start my third year. I will be absent during the fall semester as I am focusing all my time on sports.
Studying can be intense at times, but it is a nice and good change from sports. From time to time, there is a lot of information to absorb in a short period of time, so you need to prioritise what to study at any given time.
In practice, studying is versatile – there are live and online lectures, projects, group work, independent study and lab classes. My degree can lead to jobs in design and project management in the industry, for example. In my field, this could mean designing and manufacturing various electronic devices as well as managing projects. There are also many startups in this field.
Would you tell us about your sports and career?
When I was little, my parents took me to skating school. I also competed in swimming until I started high school, and then I chose speed skating. Now I’m starting my fifteenth year in speed skating.
What fascinates me about speed skating is the speed, but it is also a very technical sport; it requires tough physical condition and strength, as well as endurance and speed. There are no speed skating rinks in Finland, so for the past five years I have spent my winters at indoor rinks around the world and my summers in Finland doing physical training.
The year before last, I took part in the World Cup and the European Championships. After that, I had problems with my knee. Now I feel I'm in the best shape of my life, and I’m hoping to compete in the World Cup and the Olympics.
What does your typical day look like?
A typical day depends on how hard the training program is physically and mentally. Before competitions, I need to reduce school stress because sports as such are demanding.
When I’m not in competition season, I try to study in the morning before and after the first training session, and possibly also after the second training session. On a good day, I study for 6–7 hours and train for 4–5 hours.
What kind of support have you received for your studies?
Sports and studies take up a lot of time, so it’s important that you can arrange your time well.
After my first year of studies, I learned that it is better to study well, even if it takes a little longer. Due to the competition season and travelling, I try to study as much as possible in the spring and summer.
As a member of Urhea, I have special arrangements in my studies. I always discuss the arrangements with the course teacher. For example, I have been able to agree on flexible assignment deadlines, exam arrangements and completing assignments remotely or submitting them electronically.
What advice would you give to someone planning a dual career?
Remember what is most important to you. It’s hard to compete and study at full capacity at the same time. You need to be able to manage your overall workload – find the right balance, so that studying adds more value to your everyday life.
