“I only have one body, so I need to listen to it and make good decisions. Everyone has their limits, and I have given my all” Emmi Peltonen about her retirement
Emmi Peltonen announces retirement from competitive sports
original source: Helsingin Sanomat by Olli Kivioja
Emmi Peltonen, Finland’s figure skater, has made a heartfelt announcement on Instagram on April 14th, marking the end of her competitive career while reflecting on challenges, triumphs, and the future that lies ahead. Here’s a translation.
On April 14, Emmi Peltonen delivered an unexpected announcement on her Instagram account. In a deeply emotional message, Peltonen revealed that her competitive sports career had come to an end.
“From the little girl in Florida at Panthers ice den, so incredibly nervous to compete for the first time, to falling in love with the beauty of skating, performing and achieving the biggest dream of an athlete. A beautiful 19 years of competitive figure skating, that I’m closing with so much love and gratitude. For me, it’s time to say goodbye to the competition arenas. As much as I would want to continue, my body just can’t take the consistent training what O would need to stay and reach a level I want to be in. I’m so proud for coming back after my huge surgery and seeing the light again for a moment, but skating and overall working out is something I want keep in my life forever and since I have only one body, I need to make good decisions and listen to it. When there’s one thing after another, everyone has their own limits and I’ve given my all. I’m grateful for the achievements I’ve made tho, there were still goals left to achieve and it’s been a tough pill to swallow but that’s life and that’s sports,” Peltonen wrote
Although Peltonen’s struggles with injuries were widely known, the news of her retirement still came as a shock to many.
Even those closest to her were caught off guard by the swiftness of the decision. Her announcement followed only weeks after she was training intensely and aiming for the Olympic season spanning 2025–2026. Then, seemingly overnight, something shifted.
“I have a huge capacity to endure, but when the cup finally spills over, it’s over,” Peltonen said.
Peltonen’s metaphorical cup had been overflowing slowly for years. First came the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted her momentum early in 2020 after a strong fifth-place finish at the European Championships. Then came a relentless series of injuries, ruining season after season.
By early 2024, it seemed like Peltonen’s career might finally be back on track. She competed in the European Championships in January, finishing 12th.
“That was my first season after the injuries. It felt like something good was finally coming,” Peltonen recalls now.
Her summer plans for 2024 were clear: train healthily, regain her pre-injury level during the competitive season, and, using that foundation, prepare for what could be the peak of her career during the 2025–2026 Olympic season.
But those plans unraveled even before the season began. Peltonen did not appear at the Finnish Championships in December. She missed the autumn qualification event due to “a personal reason.”
Reflecting on the situation now, Peltonen laughs a little.
She describes herself as someone whose life is full of surprises. “These are ‘Emmi things,’” her friends often say about the unexpected turns in her journey.
One such surprise disrupted the qualification event.
Peltonen explains that her flight from the United States to Finland was delayed by a couple of days, leaving her unable to participate in time for the competition.
“I landed in Finland an hour before the six-minute warmup was supposed to begin,” Peltonen admits.
Suddenly, Peltonen found herself at a standstill. Missing the Championship meant she was no longer eligible to compete in the European Championships at the beginning of the year.
The next competition was in Germany, just a week later.
“I questioned why I was competing at all. That competition led to nothing.”
Instead of making her planned return, Peltonen disappeared from the spotlight completely. Over the winter, an old familiar injury in her leg resurfaced, once again causing significant problems.
She avoided interviews and struggled with uncertainty about her career’s direction.
“I didn’t want to give interviews because I honestly didn’t know what to say. I was tired of explaining. I’ve had so many injuries that I reached the point where I didn’t even want to talk about them anymore.”
Peltonen continued to push through the discomfort out of habit, but by spring, she finally reached her breaking point. Her leg simply wouldn’t stay competition-ready. Facing the possibility of another operation and the grueling rehabilitation process that would follow, the wall came crashing down.
“I was on the ice with my coach training for the next season. Then I had a déjà vu moment: I knew how this was going to unfold, and I started to wonder whether it was worth it anymore.”
Peltonen calculated her situation carefully. If she went ahead with surgery, she would likely be 27 years old by the time she could hope to return to her peak competitive form.
“I realized my body couldn’t handle the training needed to reach the top,” Peltonen admitted with a sigh.
“It’s an awful feeling to want something you can’t physically achieve.”
Just a couple of weeks later, the news became public. Emmi Peltonen was officially a former elite athlete. For her, the feeling was surreal.
“I kept asking myself what I had done. For days, I just stared in front of me and tried to process whether this was really happening.”
Thus began the still-ongoing process of adjustment. Peltonen sought support from family and fellow skaters, including her father, hockey legend Ville Peltonen, whose own athletic career ended in 2014.
“I asked my dad, ‘Is this what retiring is supposed to feel like?’”
The emotions varied, ranging from excitement to anxiety, with many evenings ending in tears.
Still, as the emotional storm raged, Peltonen noticed something surprising: a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
Much to her own surprise, Peltonen realized her passion for figure skating remained intact.
“I’ve always thought I would feel like avoiding the rink altogether, but my love for figure skating hasn’t faded. It’s just competitive sport that’s ended. I can still do triple jumps, and I still go on the ice.”
Peltonen’s coach, Cindy Sullivan, quickly helped her land a job as a figure skating coach in the United States, where Peltonen can work thanks to her dual citizenship.
“I’m choreographing and coaching skating techniques for young skaters. I’ve also received a couple of requests to design costumes for competitive skaters.”
Back in Finland in recent weeks, Peltonen has been enjoying the newfound freedom that comes with retiring from competitive sports.
“I was just talking to my friend, and we marveled at the fact that we can now take spontaneous day trips to Tallinn! You don’t have to schedule everything anymore. It feels like I’m 18 again,” Peltonen says.
“Maybe I’m still a little dazed, but I’m surprised at how well this has gone. I was expecting months of crying, but that hasn’t been the case—I guess I’m not that kind of person.”
With her competitive ambitions set aside, Peltonen now has room in her life for other dreams. She plans to return to school, having left formal education midway through secondary school to focus on her athletic career.
“In the U.S., I’m planning to get my high school diploma and then apply to college. An online college would be ideal so I could keep working at the same time.”
“I want to work in a creative field. I love working in sports, too, but I also want a life beyond skating.”
One factor influencing her decision was the dream of someday having her own family.
“I didn’t want to push my body to the point where, if I have children one day, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them.”
She’s satisfied that she remained among Finland’s top skaters whenever she was able to compete. She also fulfilled a childhood dream by representing Finland at the Olympics while collecting unique experiences along the way. But she acknowledges there were missed opportunities:
“There are quite a few things that still bother me. But I made those decisions, and I have to live with them,” Peltonen states bluntly.
“Many athletes never get to showcase their full potential. Now, I’ve become one of them.”
Related topics: Emmi Peltonen
Emmy has had a special charisma and confidence on the ice. I loved watching her. But health does come first, no matter what. Good luck to this strong, wise and beautiful girl!