Lydia Lassila

Personal life Lydia Lassila (née Ierodiaconou) was born 17 January 1982 in Melbourne, Australia. She is of Greek-Cypriot and Italian descent. Her mother is Italian and her father Cypriot.

Lassila completed her primary schooling at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Primary School in Sunshine, Victoria, and completed her secondary education at Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne and Westbourne Grammar School. She completed a bachelor's degree in Applied Science (Human Movement) at RMIT University. She is married to Lauri Lassila, In 2020, they moved from Lorne, Victoria, to Kittilä, Finnish Lapland, near to the Levi fell.

Career In June 2005, Lassila suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and underwent knee reconstruction

2014 Winter Olympics

Lassila achieved a bronze medal in the Freestyle Skiing Women's Aerials event. Her jump was a quad-twisting triple somersault. and 'slapped' down on her back on landing. Her score for the aerial was 72.12. Lassilas' prior jumps were scored at 95.76 and 99.22. 2010 Sport Australia Hall of Fame, 'The Don' Award 2010 Victorian Female Athlete of the Year- Kitty McEwan Award 2010 Ski and Snowboard Australia Athlete of the Year 2023 - Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee

Film/Television

Lydia is the subject of a feature documentary film called The Will To Fly that chronicles her life and sport pursuits. The film was released in Australia in 2016 to much critical acclaim. In 2022, Lassila joined Seven Network's commentary team for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Australian Survivor In 2018, Lassila appeared as a contestant on Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders, competing in the fifth season of the competitive reality television series Australian Survivor as part of the Champions tribe. In the beginning of the game, Lassila dominated in challenges, winning for her tribe in many instances. Lassila made very strong relationships in the game, notably with fellow contestants Mat Rogers and Shane Gould. Come the merge, Lassila was seen as a physical threat by many contestants and was voted out in 12th place.

In 2020, Lassila returned to appear on Australian Survivor: All Stars, being eliminated via a fire challenge against opposing tribe member Phoebe Timmins on Day 18.