Confusing reports instigated various forums and websites about what you could call a slight miracle. Is "Onliini" really going to attend an offline tournament? We asked the man himself for the answer.
Proven to be one of the best in Online players in Europe Juha-Matti "Satiini" Bäckström never proved himself offline. The cause was always a little bit mysterious and many different rumors went around the scene. Reliable sources told us that it was claustrophobia that kept the 21-year-old Finnish Nigh Elf away from the bigger tournaments.
This fear of enclosed or confined spaces prevented him from being able to travel long distances like with the airplane or even the train. The most recent example was the 2007 Finnish World Cyber Games qualifier at Assembly Summer 2007. Satiini canceled in the last minute and left his opponent Konna with a free win. Letting Konna advancing through the tournament and beating all his opponents to claim the victory and travel to Seattle, U.S to represent Finland.
First it was expected that Bäckström would only attend the Intel Extreme masters for the money you earn with winning matches. This amount is set on $ 125 per winning match. In group C Bäckström won 4 matches and lost one of them. This made him group winner and got him qualified automatically to the Grand Finals of 8th and 9th of March at CeBIT 2008.
It was expected that his Extreme Masters adventure would end there. But when the list of players got announced it was Bäckström who was still there. Did he overcame his fear? When we asked him about the question that was burning on many of the readers lips: Will you really attend the extreme masters?, he said in a clear language: "YES!"
“ The situation in my life has changed a lot as well as I have changed a lot and so forth. ” - Said Bäckström |
It seems like the mystery about Satiini is solved and we can enjoy the action of the Finlander offline now as well. Like an old expression says: Wonders will never cease.
