2025 Finnish National Championships
- June 26th-29th, 2025
- Helsinki, Finland
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Results
The old guard of Finnish swimming clashed with the younger generation in the Finnish National Championships, held from June 26th to 29th in Helsinki. Here are some of the top swims and performers from the event.
Ronny Brannkarr was the standout performer of the meet. He took gold in the men’s 100 free in 50.15 and men’s 200 free in 1:49.40, won the 100 backstroke in 56.10, and capped the meet off with gold in the 200 IM, touching the wall in 2:03.02.
Brännkärr’s best swims came in the 100 back and 200 IM. He finished the 100 back just half a second behind his own national record in the event, a time of 55.75 from the 2025 Malmsten Swim Open in Stockholm. Coming in just behind Brännkärr in the 100 back was Kalle Makinen, who finished with a time of 56.21. Brännkärr obliterated the field in the medley, finishing over five seconds ahead of the second place swimmer, Erik Nurmi.
Mäkinen also had a stellar meet. The Finnish national record holder in the men’s 50 back stormed to victory in the event with a time of 26.63, just two-one-hundredths behind his national record from the 2022 Finnish National Championships. He also won the 50 butterfly (24.02) and placed second in the 50 free (23.02).
32-year-old Finnish breaststroke stalwart Matti Mattsson was present at the meet. He competed in his signature event, the men’s 200 breast, and encountered no competition. He finished in 2:13.53, six seconds clear of the field.
Mattsson is the Finnish national record holder in the men’s 100 and 200 breaststroke, and took bronze in the men’s 200 breaststroke at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
There was more intergenerational competition on the women’s side of things. Finnish national record holder in the women’s 50 freestyle, 29-year-old Fanny Teijonsalo, was beaten in the event by 19-year-old Fia Stenman (25.84) and 17-year-old Venla Paivarinta (25.97). Teijonsalo, who formerly swam for Arizona State University, finished the event in 26.03. Stenman also out-touched Teijonsalo in the women’s 100 free by a tenth of a second, taking gold in 56.72 to Teijonsalo’s 56.82.
Teijonsalo did take gold in the women’s 50 and 100 backstroke, touching the wall in 28.25 and 1:02.27, respectively. She will be representing Finland at the 2025 World Championships in both events.
30-year-old Veera Kivirinta won the women’s 50 breaststroke in 30.55, beating out 21-year-old Jenna Pulkkinen, who finished in 31.46. Third came 30-year-old Jenna Laukkanen with a time of 31.53. Kivirinta will be swimming the women’s 50 and 100 breaststroke for Finland at the 2025 World Championships.
Pulkkinen and Laukkanen also duelled in the women’s 100 breaststroke. This time it was Laukkanen that took a narrow victory, touching the wall in 1:08.64 as opposed to Pulkkinen’s 1:08.81. They both beat the national record holder in the event, Ida Hulkko, who finished third in 1:09.70, well off her national record time of 1:06.19.
Laukkanen experienced less resistance in the women’s 200 breast, an event she is the national record holder in. She came home first with a time of 2:31.02, not coming close to her national record of 2:25.14.
It should be noted that University of Georgia swimmer Tomas Koski was not present at the meet. He is scheduled to compete in the men’s 100 and 200 free at Worlds, and is seeded 20th in the 200 free.
Other Standout Performances
- Áron Zautasvili took gold in the men’s 100 fly (54.23) and 200 fly (2:02.08). His performance in the 200 fly was particularly dominant, finishing four seconds ahead of the field.
- Ada Hakkarainen dominated the women’s medley events, taking victory in the 200 and 400 IM, as well as the 200 fly.
- Tomi Silander was the top performer in the men’s distance events, taking first in the 1500 and 800 free, and taking third in the 400 free.
