The back of Finland’s most promising sprinter was broken – A sharp return to the top

Riku Illukka rose to the top of the Finnish sprinters’ closet in the summer of 2021. On Midsummer’s Day in Kuortane, he improved his own record in the 100 meters by almost two tenths and stopped the clocks at 10.27. It was the fourth best time in Finland’s all-time statistics and SE for 22-year-olds.

At the time, Illukka was described as Finland’s most promising sprinter.

A couple of weeks after South Ostrobothnia’s cannon draw in Tallinn, in the preliminary round of the U23 European Championships, the Finn improved by a hundredth of his record.

Then began a grinding cycle of health problems.

– I broke my back, Illukka, 24, says.

The stress fracture was in the lower back at the L5 vertebra.

– The back problems continued in the summer of 2022 and I only ran one race, Illukka says.

The injury was probably the result of a technical error.

– A lot of technique and support movements have been done, which have strengthened the middle body. We’ve got good grips, so the run stays high, so to speak.

Last summer, Illukka tried to return to the limelight, until he had a bad time.

– I had back problems for many years, until I tore my hamstring. It’s fine now, Illukka says.

– There haven’t been any problems since last fall and I’ve been able to train, he adds.

Victory in Tampere

On Tuesday in Tampere’s Pirkkahalli, in the indoor track competition, Vantaa’s lightning won the 60-meter sprint with a time of 6.74. That is the journey Markus Pöyhönen 6.58 from 2003.

– Technically, it’s fine. You need to get a little more power. 6.70 is a record and we have to get below that this year.

In domestic sprint running, it has happened since the summer of 2021. With new running shoes and new platforms Samuli Samuelsson swept last summer for SE time 10,12.

Illukan’s 10.26 is now the fifth best quote in the national statistics.

– Now there are good expectations for the summer. Of course, I believe that I will continue from where I left off in 2021 and run under the record time of 10.20.