Education
Helsinki University of Technology.
Helsinki University of Technology.
Matikainen-Kallström represents the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) in Finland. She had a very short but winning sporting career. Gold medal in the 15 km
Gold medal in the 4 x 5 km
Silver medal in the 10 km freestyle
Bronze medal in the 10 km classical
Bronze medal in the 30 km classical
She quit competition after these championships at the age of 24 to concentrate on her studies at the Helsinki University of Technology and on politics.
In the six seasons she competed at a top international level, she won the World Cup three years in a row. At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Matikainen-Kallström won a bronze medal in the relay aged just 19. Four years later in Calgary she won bronze on the 10 km race, and in the 5 km sprint won gold after being in second place all race until the last kilometre before coming through to win, 1.3 seconds ahead of Tamara Tikhonova, who had to settle for silver. That same year she won another bronze medal in the relay. At the 1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf, she won the 5 km sprint, and silver in the 10 km. Matikainen-Kallström finished her championship career with a fantastic 1989 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships on her home soil in Lahti, where she won the following medals: Matikainen-Kallström also was the first winner of the women"s 30 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 1988.
From 1996 to 2004 she was a Member of the European Parliament, and since 2004 she has been a member of the Finnish Parliament.
