Lappeenranta club leads Finland’s athletics elite coaching group

Lappeenranta athletics club Lappeenrannan Urheilu-Miehet has the most athletes in Finland’s top athletics coaching group, with seven of the 60 selected, Yle reports.

The Finnish Athletics Federation’s Team Finland huiput group receives particular investment in coaching. The club’s seven athletes make up nearly 12 per cent of the group.

They are sprinters Juho Venäläinen and Kristiina Halonen, hurdlers Rasmus Vehmaa and Antti Sainio, long jumper Kasperi Vehmaa, race walker Aku Partanen and marathon runner Alisa Vainio.

The next-largest representation comes from Tampereen Pyrintö, with six athletes. Turun Urheiluliitto and HIFK Friidrott each have four, while Oulun Pyrintö and Espoon Tapiot each have three.

Sainio recently joined the Lappeenranta club from Tampereen Pyrintö. He told the newspaper Etelä-Saimaa that the club’s sense of community was a reason for the move.

Club director Janne Vehmaa credits its success to committed coaches and sustained work. Halonen also praised the club’s long-term support, saying it continued to provide financial help during the six difficult years after she was injured. She said a promising generation of athletes in their early twenties is coming through.