Mirja Lehtonen was one of the best Finnish female skiers at the start of the 1960s, but she ended her sporting career unexpectedly in 1965, at only 23-years-old. Lehtonen made her international début at the 1962 World Championships, where she won a bronze in the relay and was fifth in both the 5 and 10 km. At the 1964 Olympics, Lehtonen won a silver in the 5 km, only 2.7 seconds behind Soviet Klavdiya Boyarskikh, won another bronze in the relay and was tenth at 10 km. Lehtinen won five Finnish titles, in the 5 km in 1963 and 1964 and in the 10 km from 1961 to 1963. Se also won the 10 km at the Swedish Ski Games in 1961, 1963 and 1965 and the 10 km at the 1962 Lahti Ski Games and the 1962 and 1964 Ounasvaara 10 km titles. She was also selected as the Finnish female athlete of the year in 1961 and 1963. Since 1981 a race named in her honor is held every year in her birthplace of Uurainen.
Finland