Sylvi Saimo

Sylvi Saimo

Saimo at the 1952 Olympics
Personal information
Born	12 November 1914 Jaakkima, Finland
Died	12 March 2004 (aged 89) Laukaa, Finland
Height	170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	59–62 kg
Sport
Sport	Canoe sprint
Medal record Representing  Finland Olympic Games 1952 Helsinki K-1 500 m World Championships 1950 Copenhagen K-1 500 m 1950 Copenhagen K-2 500 m

Sylvi Riitta Saimo (née Sikiö, 12 November 1914 – 12 March 2004) was a Finnish sprint canoer. 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.

References

• ICF medalists for Olympic and World Championships – Part 1: flatwater (now sprint): 1936–2007.
• ICF medalists for Olympic and World Championships – Part 2: rest of flatwater (now sprint) and remaining canoeing disciplines: 1936–2007.
• Sports-reference.com profile