Maisa Kuusikko
Kuusikko at the 2019 Junior World Championships
Personal information
Full nameMaisa Kuusikko
Country represented Finland
Born (2005-06-16) 16 June 2005
Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2018–present (FIN)
ClubTampereen Voimistelijoiden
Head coach(es)Igor Cherepov
Medal record
Women's artistic gymnastics
Representing  Finland
FIG World Cup
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Challenge Cup 1 1 1

Maisa Kuusikko (born 16 June 2005) is a Finnish artistic gymnast. She represented Finland at the inaugural junior World Championships. She is the 2021 Finnish national champion and a two-time junior national champion. At the 2022 World Championships Kuusikko made history by becoming the first Finnish gymnast to qualify to the all-around final.

Early life

Kuusikko was born in Tampere, Finland. She began training in gymnastics in 2011.[1]

Gymnastics career

Junior

2018

Kuusikko competed at the Finnish National Championships where she placed third in the all-around and second on uneven bars.[2] She made her international debut at the 2018 Nordic Championships where she helped Finland place third. Individually she placed eighth in the all-around and second on uneven bars behind Tonya Paulsson.[3]

2019

Kuusikko competed at the Stella Zakharova Cup where she won a pair of bronze on vault and uneven bars.[4] At the Nordic Championships she helped Finland place first. Individually she placed second in the all-around behind Camille Rasmussen but won gold on vault and balance beam. She won the junior national title at the Finnish Championships and was named to the team to compete at the inaugural Junior World Championships alongside Ilona Kossila and Malla Montell. Kuusikko finished 39th in the all-around and was the highest placing Finnish gymnast.[5] In December she competed at the Voronin Cup where she placed fifth in the all-around, third on vault, second on uneven bars and balance beam, and sixth on floor exercise.[6]

Vault
Balance Beam
Floor Exercise
Kuusikko at the 2019 Junior World Championships

2020

The mass majority of competitions in 2020 were either canceled or postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In November Kuusikko competed at the Finnish Championships where she defended her junior national title. Additionally she won gold on vault, uneven bars, and balance beam and placed second on floor exercise behind Olivia Vättö.[7]

Senior

2021

Kuusikko turned senior in 2021. She made her senior international debut at the 2021 European Championships where she qualified to the all-around final. During the final she placed thirteenth.[8] In September she competed at the Finnish Championships and won her first senior national title. Additionally she won the uneven bars and balance beam titles and placed second on vault behind Kaia Tanskanen.[9] Kuusikko was selected to represent Finland at the World Championships alongside Ada Hautala and Rosanna Ojala.[10]

2022

Kuusikko competed at the Baku World Cup where she placed fifth on vault and floor exercise. She next competed at the Varna Challenge Cup where she won silver on balance beam behind Ana Đerek, bronze on vault behind Aline Friess and Camille Rasmussen, and eighth on uneven bars.

Kuusikko later represented Finland at the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, England, contributing to the Finnish team's 16th place finish during qualifications. She advanced to the individual all-around final in 29th place, becoming the first Finnish gymnast to do so in World Championships history.[11] During the all-around final Kuusikko finished thirteenth.[12]

2023

In September Kuusikko sustained a knee injury and was unable to compete at the 2023 World Championships.[13]

Competitive history

Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2018Finnish Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)77
Nordic Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)82nd place, silver medalist(s)
2019Stella Zakharova Cup453rd place, bronze medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)4
Nordic Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
Finnish Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)76
Junior World Championships2639
Voronin Cup53rd place, bronze medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)6
2020Finnish Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Senior
2021
European Championships13
Finnish World Trials1st place, gold medalist(s)
Finnish Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)8
2022Baku World Cup55
Varna Challenge Cup3rd place, bronze medalist(s)82nd place, silver medalist(s)
European Championships11
Szombathely Challenge Cup661st place, gold medalist(s)
World Championships1613
2023
European Championships1115

References

  1. ↑ "Maisa Kuusikko FIG profile". International Gymnastics Federation.
  2. ↑ "2018 Finnish Championships". The Gymternet. June 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ "2018 Nordic Championships Results". The Gymternet. July 6, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Stella Zakharova Cup (2019) - Score for Score".
  5. ↑ "Tampereen Voimistelijoiden Maisa Kuusikolla upeita suorituksia MM-telineillä". Aamulehti (in Finnish). 4 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "2019 Voronin Cup Results". The Gymternet. December 2, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Tampereen Voimistelijoiden 15-vuotias Maisa Kuusikko ahkeroi komean viikonlopun – SM-kisojen päätteeksi kaulassa kiilsi kolme kultaa ja kaksi hopeaa". Aamulehti (in Finnish). November 13, 2020.
  8. ↑ "15-vuotias Maisa Kuusikko voimisteli 13:nneksi EM-neliottelussa – "Ihan mahtava fiilis"". Yle (in Finnish). April 21, 2021.
  9. ↑ "15-vuotias Maisa Kuusikko voimisteli kolme kultaa Oulun SM-kisoissa – "Löytyi paljon onnistumisia"". Länsi-Uusimaa (in Finnish). September 19, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Telinevoimistelun MM-kilpailujen edustajat nimetty". Finnish Gymnastics Association (in Finnish). September 20, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Maisa Kuusikko, 17, teki historiaa voimistelemalla neliottelun MM-finaaliin" [Maisa Kuusikko, 17, made history by reaching the World Championships all-around final]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). October 31, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Maisa Kuusikko hipoi ennätystään ja ja venyi historialliseen tulokseen MM-kisoissa" [Maisa Kuusikko beat her record and stretched to a historic result at the World Championships]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). November 3, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Maisa Kuusikko polvileikkaukseen, MM-kisat jäävät väliin" [Maisa Kuusikko to have knee surgery, the World Championships will be missed]. Finnish Gymnastics Federation (in Finnish). September 12, 2023.
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