Veli Saarinen

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name =

| image = Veli Saarinen.jpg

| caption = Saarinen in the 1930s

| birth_name =

| fullname =

| nationality =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1902|9|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Martinsaari, Virolahti, Finland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1969|10|12|1902|9|16|df=y}}

| death_place = Helsinki, Finland

| height = 173 cm

| weight = 65 kg

| country =

| sport = Cross-country skiing

| event =

| pb =

| club = Kouvolan Hiihtoseura
Lahden Hiihtoseura

| retired =

| olympics =

| highestranking =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's cross-country skiing }}

{{MedalCountry|{{FIN}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}}

}}

Veli Selim Saarinen (16 September 1902 – 12 October 1969) was a Finnish cross-country skier who competed in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics.

In 1928, he finished fourth in the 18 km event. In 1932, he won a gold in the 50 km and a bronze in the 18 km event, becoming the first Finnish cross-country skier to win an Olympic gold medal. Yet his biggest success came at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, where he won six medals between 1926 and 1934, including three gold medals.

Domestically Saarinen won only two titles, over 50 km in 1930–31. In 1934, he retired from competitions and later coached the German (1934–1937) and Finnish (1937–1968) national cross-country skiing teams. From 1947 to 1968, he also served as a chief executive of the Finnish Skiing Federation.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/veli-saarinen-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417054133/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/veli-saarinen-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-17 |title=Veli Saarinen}}

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).{{cite web |url=https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/athlete-biography.html?sector=CC&competitorid=52816&type=st-WC |title=SAARINEN Veli |author= |website=FIS-Ski |publisher=International Ski Federation |access-date=29 January 2020}}

=Olympic Games=

2 medals – (1 gold, 1 bronze)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center; border:grey solid 1px; border-collapse:collapse; background:#ffffff;"

! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:60px;"| Year

! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:40px;"| Age

! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 18 km

! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"| 50 km

1928

—

1932

bgcolor="cc9966"| Bronze

style="background:gold;"| Gold

=World Championships=

6 medals – (3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center; border:grey solid 1px; border-collapse:collapse; background:#ffffff;" ! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:60px;"\| Year ! style="background-color:#369; color:white; width:40px;"\| Age ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"\| 17 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"\| 18 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"\| 30 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"\| 50 km ! style="background-color:#4180be; color:white; width:75px;"\| 4 × 10 km relay
1926	23	{{n/a}}	{{n/a}}	bgcolor="cc9966"\|Bronze	9	{{n/a}}
1929	26	style="background:gold;"\|Gold	{{n/a}}	{{n/a}}	style="background:silver;"\|Silver	{{n/a}}
1930	27	5	{{n/a}}	{{n/a}}	6	{{n/a}}
1933	30	{{n/a}}	4	{{n/a}}	style="background:gold;"\|Gold	—
1934	31	{{n/a}}	style="background:silver;"\|Silver	{{n/a}}	—	style="background:gold;"\|Gold