Gangneung: Finland forward Riikka Valila, who followed her brothers into hockey at age seven, is now a mother of three and the oldest women's hockey player in Olympic history at age 44.
In Finland's 3-1 opening round-robin loss to the United States on Sunday in their Pyeongchang opener, Valila also became the oldest Winter Olympian in Finland history, replacing figure skater Ludowika Jakobsson-Eilers, who was 43 in 1928.
"To be able to do it once again, to be able to do it in that age, I'm very thankful," Valila said.
"After Sochi, I felt good in my body and I still felt that I can improve, I can be better on the ice. I don't have to prove anything to myself or anybody else. I just enjoy playing... I'm getting better and I can help the team.
"After this season is over, if everything feels good, then I continue."
Valila, who has played on six bronze-medal world championship Finnish teams, helped Finland to Olympic bronze in 1998 in women's Olympic ice hockey debut. She was also on the 2002 squad that placed fourth but retired in 2003 to start a family. AFP
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