Katja Karjalainen

Started: She began riding at age nine at a riding school in the Tapiola district of southern Finland. She returned to the sport as a Para athlete in 1996. (sportelite.fi, 01 Dec 2010) Reason: She took up riding as a hobby, but stopped at age 20 while she was a student. Several years after her eyesight began deteriorating, she sought a new challenge to help cope with the changes to her life. She returned with the ambition of achieving success at an elite level and acquired her first horse in 2000. "At first I wasn't interested in competing at all. It came only after I became a Para equestrian. It made me more determined to be successful and I started to train harder." (paralympic.org, 12 Apr 2023; katjakarjalainen.com, 06 Mar 2021; sportelite.fi, 01 Dec 2010; equus.sporttisaitti.com, 07 Apr 2008) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. "Winning a medal in Paris would be a beautiful crown to my long career. And it would, 100%, mean that my career would end." (paralympic.org, 12 Apr 2023) Awards: She was the flag bearer for Finland at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (myinfo.rio2016.com, 06 Sep 2016) In 2008 and 2012 she was named Rider of the Year by the Equestrian Federation of Finland [EFF]. (paralympia.fi, 24 Apr 2013; aamuposti.fi, 22 Feb 2009) In 2010 she was one of three athletes recognised by the Finnish Disability Sport Association [FASD] for outstanding performances in their sport. (vammaisurheilu.fi, 10 Jan 2011) Additional Info: EARLY DAYS As a young child she was initially told that she was too tall for pony riding. "At the age of nine, I burned with a desire to get into beginners' riding courses. However, when I registered for the courses in the saddle room of the riding school, I was told that I was too tall on the pony's back. After seeing my disappointment, they told me about a horse beginner course that would start a month later. I was happy to wait for it. That's how my childhood went - mostly at the stables. Whatever the weather, I travelled by bus, cycled and sometimes even walked a good 10km from our home in Lauttasaari to Espoo for a ride. I learned knowledge about horses that was shared by experienced horse people. I loved that time." (katjakarjalainen.com, 06 Mar 2021) OCCUPATION She has worked as a nurse specialising in anaesthesia and intensive care. (katjakarjalainen.com, 06 Mar 2021) FURTHER EDUCATION She has studied music therapy at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, and design studies at Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia. (kafateam.fi, 01 Apr 2011)