Mika Koivuniemi

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Mika Juhani Koivuniemi (born April 6, 1967 in Tampere) is a Finnish ten-pin bowler, currently on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) tour in the United States, who has won bowling titles in 11 different countries in his career.

Growing up, Koivuniemi was an exceptional athlete, starring in three sports in high school: basketball, hockey, and soccer. Koivuniemi eventually became interested in bowling and made Team Finland in 1988 at age 21. He was an exceptional bowler for Team Finland, winning the 1991 FIQ World Championship, the 1995 European Individual Cup Championship, and the 1996 World Team Cup Championship.

Koivuniemi joined the PBA in 1999. He had some initial success, but his first big season did not come until the 2001-02 season when he entered 27 events, cashed in 20, made match play 15 times, made the TV finals three times, and won one title. So far, Koivuniemi's biggest season was the 2003-04 season, when he was awarded PBA Player of the Year honors (joining Venezuela's Amleto Monacelli as the only international players so honored) and also won the PBA's George Young High Average Award. During that season he entered 20 events, cashed in 16, made match play 13 times, made TV seven times, and won two titles. It was during this season that Koivuniemi bowled the 16th-ever televised 300 game, in a match against Jason Couch.

Koivuniemi's nickname on tour is "Major Mika," because his first two PBA titles came in major championships: the 2000 ABC Masters and 2001-02 U.S. Open. With the latter victory, he became the first foreign-born player to win the U.S. Open.[1] He has also been dubbed "The Big Finn" by ESPN commentator Randy Pedersen.

Koivuniemi has won eight PBA titles and passed the $1 million mark (U.S.) in total PBA earnings during the 2007-08 season. With his victory in the 2007 Dydo Japan Cup, he has won a bowling title in 11 different countries. An extremely versatile bowler, he was the first player to win a title on all five of the PBA's oil patterns (Shark, Chameleon, Cheetah, Scorpion and Viper) - a feat matched only by Tommy Jones in the 2007-08 season.

Though born in Finland, Koivuniemi now resides in Hartland, Michigan, USA with his wife, Leena, and two children.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Finnishing them off: Mika Koivuniemi has plenty to smile about after his convincing victory in the U.S. Open." John J. Archibald in the April, 2002 issue of Bowling Digest.

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