Iivo Niskanen explains why he will now coach himself: “It even feels refreshing”

Finnish cross-country star and three-time Olympic champion Iivo Niskanen has decided to coach himself going forward, ending the daily, hands-on coaching relationship with his long‑time mentor Olli Ohtonen. Their partnership began in 2013 and produced multiple career highlights, including Olympic golds in 2014, 2018 and 2022, and the 15 km world title at Lahti 2017.

In a video posted on Instagram, Niskanen and Ohtonen reflected on their 12‑year collaboration. Ohtonen said the athlete’s own voice and responsibility in training had grown cycle by cycle, and that it now felt natural for Niskanen to take over day‑to‑day planning himself. Ohtonen will continue to support the process, particularly with performance testing in Vuokatti and as a sounding board for training plans or concerns.

Niskanen likened their long, intensive cooperation to a relationship and said assuming full responsibility “even feels refreshing.” Reviewing his weekly program recently, he felt he would have set it 95% the same way himself. He emphasized that his passion for continuous improvement must be total and that he has learned a great deal about how his body responds and what it needs at different times. He added he has no desire to seek a new coach.

The shift comes as Niskanen prepares for the next seasons leading up to the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Although stepping back from daily oversight, Ohtonen underlined that his role remains to help whenever needed and to monitor testing outcomes that indicate how training is working. Niskanen declined further interviews beyond the video announcement.