The first Olympic stamp from Aland Islands

When the Olympic Games is arranged in Athens this year, an Ålander will be part of the Finnish Olympic team for the first time in many years. Janne Holmén, the present European marathon champion, will be the third Ålander ever to take part in the Games.

The runner Frej Liewendahl was the first Ålander to compete in the Olympic Games held in Paris 1924. Frej finished on seventh place in the 1,500-meter race.

The second Åland Olympic competitor was the boxer Karl-Johan Hellström, who participated in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam under his stage name Johnny. Johnny won his first match on points, but he had to see himself defeated in his second match and was out of the game.

Click for special stamps from Aland Islands with mushromms...

The Olympic stamp from Aland Islands
13.08.2004 is disigned by Jonas Wilèn

The Åland stamp depicts the Panathenaic Stadium, which was also the scene of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The stadium had 48 rows of seats and room for some 45,000 spectators.