Juha Iisakki Mieto (born 20 November 1949) is a Finnish former cross-country skier, who was born in Kurikka. He competed in the 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympics and won five medals, including a gold medal in the 4 × 10 km relay in 1976. He also placed fourth three times, losing the 15 km bronze medal in 1972 by 0.06 seconds. He finished second in this event in 1980 in the closest-ever margin of victory in Olympic cross-country skiing, 0.01 seconds, which led the International Ski Federation (FIS) to round all of their times to the nearest 1/10 second in future competitions. Mieto was selected as the Finnish flag bearer at the 1972 Winter Olympics.
Mieto won four medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, with silvers in the 30 km (1974) and the 4 × 10 km relay (1978), and bronzes in the 15 km (1978) and the 4 × 10 km relay (1982, tied with East Germany). His biggest success as a cross-country skier was at the Holmenkollen ski festival where he won the 50 km once (1973) and the 15 km five times (1973–1975, 1977–1978). He received the Holmenkollen medal in 1974.
After retiring from competitions in 1984 Mieto worked in public relations for several organizations, including Nordea Bank, Kuortane Sports Resort and World Vision. In the 2007 Finnish parliament elections he was a Centre Party candidate in Vaasa constituency. He was elected with 13,768 votes, which was the seventh best result in Finland that year.
Cross-country skiing results
All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Olympic Games
5 medals – (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)
World Championships
4 medals – (2 silver, 2 bronze)
World Cup
Season standings
Individual podiums
1 podium
Team podiums
2 podiums
Note: Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.
References
External links
Holmenkollen medalists – click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file
Holmenkollen winners since 1892 – click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file
Official home page
1949 births
Living people
People from Kurikka
Centre Party (Finland) politicians
Members of the Parliament of Finland (2007–2011) Cross-country skiers at the 1972 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 1976 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 1980 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 1984 Winter Olympics Finnish male cross-country skiers Holmenkollen medalists Holmenkollen Ski Festival winners Olympic cross-country skiers for Finland Olympic medalists in cross-country skiing FIS Nordic World Ski Championships medalists in cross-country skiing Olympic gold medalists for Finland Olympic silver medalists for Finland Olympic bronze medalists for Finland Medalists at the 1984 Winter Olympics Finnish sportsperson-politicians Medalists at the 1976 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 1980 Winter Olympics 20th-century Finnish people