Apollo Sports and the Finnish Olympic Committee’s Next Generation Team Finland are launching a partnership aimed at supporting young Finnish athletes on their journey to the top of international sports.  

The Next Generation team consists of 21 athletes representing a wide range of sports. Apollo Sports offers athletes the opportunity to train abroad, including through a camp to be held in the fall of 2026, as well as by supporting athletes’ training abroad throughout 2027. The most well-known of the Apollo Sports hotels is the Playitas Resort in Fuerteventura, renowned for its excellent training conditions. “Powered by Playitas” hotels, such as Porto Myrina in Greece, offer excellent opportunities for goal-oriented training regardless of the sport.  

Next Generation Team Finland is an individualized support program designed for promising young Finnish athletes. Its goal is to identify future stars at an early stage and help them advance toward the world’s elite. 

– In addition to talent and motivation, a young athlete’s development requires high-quality coaching, an effective support network, and conditions that support training and recovery. The new Next Generation program is an exceptional opportunity to build Finnish high-performance sport for the long term. To support our work, we need diverse partners. I am very pleased that Apollo Sports is bringing its expertise to support our next generation of athletes, explains Janne Hänninen, Director of Elite Sports at the Finnish Olympic Committee. 

An international setting complements a high-quality everyday life 

The foundation for an athlete’s development is built through daily training at home. Training stints abroad provide the necessary, optimal conditions for each sport and allow athletes to take advantage of international networks.  

At its best, an overseas training camp is a carefully planned part of the athlete’s overall training program. When training, recovery, nutrition, and logistical arrangements are all in order, the athlete and the coaching staff can focus on what really matters. 

– Reaching the top requires long-term dedication and a high-quality daily routine. International training conditions complement the work done at home and enable training sessions designed specifically for the needs of each sport. We want to help build environments where young athletes can train, recover, and focus on their development, says Daniel Giray, Head of Sports at Apollon. 

Different sports, a common goal 

Next Generation Team Finland brings together top young prospects from various sports. While the demands of each sport vary, the athletes are united by their need for high-quality training, recovery, international experience, and a strong support network. 

Multidisciplinary collaboration enables the sharing of experiences and the joint development of training conditions and services with athletes, coaches, and sports experts. 

– The Next Generation program is resonating with Finnish companies. The exceptionally high level of interest shown by companies in the program gives us confidence in the development of the Finnish sports support system. The road to the top is a long one for young athletes. Corporate support for the youth program is key to putting Finnish high-performance sports on an even stronger growth trajectory, says Timo Ronkainen, Commercial Director of the Olympic Committee. 

 For more information: 

Finnish Olympic Committee, Karri Koivu, karri.koivu@olympiakomitea.fi, 040 511 7721  

Apollomatkat, Satu Kontulainen, satu.kontulainen@apollomatkat.fi, 040 523 4447 

Text translated with the help of AI.