SS
The basics
Quick facts
Intro
Canoe racer
Gender:
Female
Places:
Is:
Work field:
Birth:
12 November 1914(Ruskeala)
Death:
12 March 2004(Laukaa)
The details
Biography
Sylvi Riitta Saimo (née Sikiö, 12 November 1914 – 12 March 2004) was a Finnish sprint canoeist. She won a gold medal in the K-1 500 m event at the 1952 Olympics and finished sixth in 1948. That was first and only gold medal by Finnish woman at Summer Olympics, until Heli Rantanen won the javelin throw contest in 1996.
Saimo also won two gold medals at the 1950 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Copenhagen, earning them in the K-1 500 m and K-2 500 m events.