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The European Figure Skating Championships in Espoo, Finland saw unusual events unfold during the opening ceremony on Wednesday. The host country introduced Minna-Maaria Antikainen, the first transgender skater from Finland, during the flag presentation. A video of Antikainen’s performance went viral on social media, showing her struggling to perform a figure and collapsing after just a minute. She was unable to get up on her own until a fellow Finnish competitor came to her aid, offering a hand and handing her the Finnish flag.
BREAKING: Finland has introduced the world’s first transgender national figure skater
They fall down in the first 45 seconds and no one is allowed to act like anything at all happened pic.twitter.com/12n8ubKZ1c
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 29, 2023
The Video Has been viewed over million times in under less than 24 hours
She is getting mixed reactions on social media
https://twitter.com/LeoKearse/status/1619685146747346946
Finland has the world's first transgender national figure skater – and he/she/it/they can’t skate worth a damn!
I can’t stop laughing!
— Joey M. (@JoeyFromPhilly) January 29, 2023
Give her all the gold medals! Finland’s first transgender figure skater is the best athlete I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/TqX1Voqh53
— Dr. Jebra Faushay (@JebraFaushay) January 29, 2023
Finland presents the world's first transgender figure skater.
No, it's not a comedy skit. pic.twitter.com/hPJft6JnR5
— David Wolf (@DavidWolf777) January 29, 2023
Finland’s first stunning and brave transgender figure skater can’t skate but can stunningly and bravely fall down. pic.twitter.com/2BPair7t41
— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) January 29, 2023
https://twitter.com/BetoBautista/status/1619647466932174849
Who Exactly is Minna-Maaria?
Minna-Maaria Antikainen, formerly known as Markku-Pekka Antikainen, made her debut at the European Figure Skating Championships as the first transgender skater from Finland. With 17 years of training under her belt and coaching from 1985 Finnish figure skating champion Elise Luovula, Minna-Maaria took the ice with grace and determination.
Three years into her professional career, Minna-Maaria secured a impressive 3rd place at the informal World Amateur Figure Skating Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany. Despite not being able to collect her medal due to her outfit, Minna-Maaria’s unwavering spirit and passion for figure skating shines through.
Minna-Maaria, a transgender farm owner in Siilinjärvi, Finland, has had a lifelong dream of becoming a figure skater. In addition to making a name for herself in the figure skating world, Minna-Maaria was also honored as the farmer of the year in 2017 in the South Karelia region.
