Pori-born Olaus Alinen, playing his rookie season for the University of Alabama’s American football team Crimson Tide in the United States, has been nominated for Finnish Young Athlete of the Year. The selection will be determined by the Sports Journalists’ Association vote in January.

Born in 2003, Alinen is among the finalists in the Sports Journalists’ Association’s Young Athlete of the Year vote. He faces tough competition from young stars in traditional Finnish sports, including athletics, ski jumping, and cross-country skiing, each of whom has already earned recognition and fame on the international stage.

Young Athlete of the Year candidates:

• Juho Alasaari, athletics
• Olaus Alinen, American football
• Niko Anttola, cross-country skiing
• Vilho Palosaari, ski jumping
• Saga Vanninen, athletics

Alinen’s Alabama team will play in the Rose Bowl in December

The young Finnish lineman has played in four out of Alabama’s 13 games in his first NCAA season. Crimson Tide has won 12 of its games and will advance to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, in December, facing the top-ranked Michigan. The winner of the game will advance to the NCAA championship.

Alinen’s redshirt status is likely to be preserved, meaning he won’t play more games in his debut season. This allows Alinen to play in the following four full seasons.

Young Athlete of the Year will be announced at the Finland´s Sports Gala 2024

The Finnish Sports Gala will be held for the 17th time on January 11. In addition to many awards, the Young Athlete of the Year will also be awarded the Uuno trophy. Sports journalists will traditionally announce the best athletes in each sport during the same week. In 2022, the recognition for the best American football player went to Olaus Alinen. It will be exciting to see how Alinen performs among traditional sports stars, as indicated by his nomination alongside them.

In addition to Alinen’s nomination, the rising national esteem for American football is highlighted by the women’s national team reaching the finals for the Most Thrilling Moment of 2022.

Photo: University of Alabama