What happened to Ella Junnila? This is how he talks about his relationship with elite sports

Two meters as the first Finnish woman in history.

A 19-year-old high jumper with such a goal at the time Ella Junnila announced in the summer of 2018. He was third on Finland’s all-time list after surpassing 192 centimeter in July.

According to some, the over-optimistic goal started to turn into a possible goal a year later. Junnila exceeded 190 centimeter in four outdoor track competitions and made a new SE of 195.

Due to the corona restrictions, the 2020 season was a gap year for many track and field athletes, but in the 2021 indoor season, Junnila made a unique series for Finns. The average result of the five best indoor competitions was 192.6 cents and the best was 196. The EC bronze medal was won on the SE of the indoor tracks.

Since then, the performance curve has pointed in a worrying direction.

The exceptionally talented Finnish high jumper is already spoken of as a lost cause in sports circles.

What happened?

Weird exchange

– Of course, there have been difficult years. But primarily there have been injuries that always make it difficult, Junnila, 25, says in January 2024.

Shortly after the best moments of his career and just a few weeks before the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021, the athlete changed his coach. Group Shield gave way and Tuomas Sallinendefector Kristiina Mäkelän koutsi, grabbed the helm.

Under the new pilot, Tampere Pyrinnö’s jumper has achieved a best of 192 centimeters on outdoor tracks and 190 centimeters indoors.

– For example, last summer the average of the top five races was better than it has ever been. Last summer, I was stuck in the barrel. I have developed a lot as an athlete and I am very satisfied with how technical things have developed.

In the 2023 outdoor track season, the average result of Junnila’s five best races was 189.6 cents. That’s the second-best average of his career.

In 2019, the average was 191.4 cents.

Relationship with sports

Junnila studies political research at the University of Tampere. He has mentioned that social issues are of interest. As an influencer, he has served on the board of Yleisurheilaijat ry and is currently the vice-chairman of the association that promotes the rights of general athletes.

It has been considered whether Junnila’s use of time and attitude towards elite sports are sufficient for her to reach her goal of two meters.

– Top sport is my biggest passion. You wouldn’t want to be here if you weren’t serious about doing this, Junnila announces.

– In the spring, I don’t study at all. Last fall, in the first study period, I had one course. Sport always comes first and if you can do something else, then we will do it. But everything happens on the terms of sports, he adds.

New workout

On Tuesday in Pirkkahalli in Tampere, Junnila started her competition season 2024. She did not seem to be physically in the best possible condition for results.

– Training has been different than before. The purpose is to make the basic training season longer than normal, in order to be able to do light sensitizing training throughout the spring so that it continues until the Olympic Games in Paris.

Tuesday’s result of 185 cents is far from the jumper’s potential, but on the other hand it is the best opening of the hall season after 2021. Three years ago, 191 cents went in the opening race.

– Right, yes. There was a bit of searching when I returned from the training camp in Tenerife on Sunday. The result comes through the jumps and the snacks are much better, Junnila said.

What kind of result are you satisfied with during the government period?

– Hard to say. After the hall season, what came out on paper, you will know if there are positive feelings in the heart or if it could have been better, the athlete answers.

– The goal is to get competition jumps and full-speed jumps down and get the technical stuff covered so that we are ready for the EC outdoor track championships in Rome in May, he adds.

Is the goal still two meters?

– Find a high jumper who says it isn’t. I want it to jump – and over.

80 women in the world have exceeded two meters.