Nathalie Blomqvist’s brilliant last summer was the result of contact from the international top team. With the agreement, the Finnish runner’s wallet will grow significantly.
Head coach of the Swiss sports equipment manufacturer’s endurance running team Thomas Dreissigacker approached Finnish running coaches at the European Championships in Rome in June 2024.
The former head coach of the German national team had noticed by Nathalie Blomqvist fifth place at 5,000 meters and wanted to know more about the 23-year-old Finn.
Blomqvist himself wanted to focus on the prestigious competitions and waited until the Paris Olympics before holding a remote meeting with Dreissigacker.
This was an attractive offer for Blomqvist: a place on the international endurance running team of sports equipment manufacturer Oni.
It meant not only a world-class training club, but also considerable financial compensation and the opportunity to train in top conditions all year round.
– I still had to think about it for a while. We had a really good collaboration with Tompan (coach Tom Andtbacka) with and I had a great last season. They say that good things should not be changed, Blomqvist reveals.
In the end, the desire to develop in the company of Europe’s best runners and the opportunity to train in the high air settled the matter. Blomqvist signed a 4+1 year contract with On Athletics Club Europe.
In addition to Blomqvist, the group of 15 runners includes, among others, Spain, who took bronze at the 5,000 meters in the Rome 5,000 meters in front of Finland Marta Garcia and in the corresponding men’s race, the Briton who ran for silver George Mills.
Professional athlete
OAC Europe camps in Sankt Moritz, Switzerland, Dullstroom, South Africa and El Grao de Castellon, Spain.
In practice, Blomqvist spends significantly more time in the aforementioned places than at home in Vaasa. The team camps for about a month at a time, after which everyone goes home for a week or two and goes to camp again for a month.
– Now, for example, I don’t know when I will visit Finland next time, Blomqvist, who has been camping in South Africa since the beginning of December, laughs.
Blomqvist no longer has to worry about the costs of camping. It is free for the team’s runners, and Blomqvist is paid a very competitive salary. Blomqvist cannot reveal the exact amounts.
– Let’s just say that for the next four years I can focus completely on sports. I can say that I am a professional athlete, Blomqvist spins.
“This is the life I want to live”
According to Blomqvist, the training itself has not changed radically with the new coach.
It still includes a lot of speed resistance, and Blomqvist’s weakness, speed resistance, is also being improved.
Although last summer’s best results came at 5,000 meters, the Finn wants to continue competing at 1,500 meters as well.
According to Blomqvist, the training season with the new group has gone exactly as he had hoped.
– The coach is involved in the training every day and every day offers a challenge when training with European Championship medalists.
The group also includes physiotherapists and assistant coaches. In addition, athletes collect a lot of data from each exercise.
– I used to go more by feel, but I was told right away that my job is only to collect data. The task of others is to analyze it, Blomqvist smiles.
Only a few Finnish track and field athletes have been able to enjoy similar services. Of course, Finns have been part of international training teams before, but the money has had to be dug out of their own pockets.
– This is my dream. I get paid for the work I do. This is the life I want to live.