In his long career, Leo Pusa, 75, coached, among others, Olympic winners Tapio Korju and Heli Ranta, as well as European Championship bronze medalist Lassi Etelätalo for the last eight years.
Lassi Etelätalo The EC bronze from Munich was the highlight Leo Pusan in the javelin throw of a long coaching career. Pusa, 75, coached Finnish javelin throwers to prestigious competition success for no less than five decades.
From Pusa’s previous trainees Tapio Korjus, Tiina Lillak, Kimmo Kinnunen, Heli Rantanen and Aki Parviainen are value competition winners.
Among other things, Pusa, who competed in the Munich Olympics in 1972, became a coach right after his own sports career in the 1970s.
Now the successful career ends, as does the collaboration with Lassi Etelätalo, 34, which started in 2014.
– Yes, this has been an interesting journey with Lassi. It has been great that I have been able to accompany such a person on the journey. This is where an athlete’s dreams have come true and I have been able to live with them, says Pusa.
In August, Etelätalo raced his record of 86.44 at the Olympic Stadium in Munich and achieved the first medal of his career. The best season of Etelätalo’s career ended with an overwhelming victory in the Finland-Sweden international match at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Part of Pusa’s team Teo Takala was fourth in his first international match.
Etelätalo is known as a thrower who hardly ever goes to talk to the coach in the middle of the competition. It didn’t happen in Pusa and Etelätalo’s last joint competition as an athlete-coach pair either.
Pusa watched the competition of his protégés in the front row of the Olympic Stadium and cheered Etelätalo’s winning throw of 82.30 meters with moderate joy.
Etelätalo said after the competition that the career will continue, but new training patterns will only be decided after a short vacation. According to Pusa, the contact with Etelätalo continues even outside the fields.
In his career, Pusa has experienced, among other things, the Olympic victories of his personal coaches Tapio Korjus (1988) and Heli Rantanen (1996), but he also appreciates grassroots successes.
– Of course, success always raises the emotional level. Still, the things I’ve done along the way, like the various spear schools I’ve been running and giving birth to, have been significant. I have seen that a new successful person grows from there. They have been great moments, says Pusa.
There is more time for exercise
After the incident, Pusa has invested even more in his well-being and plans to do so in the future as well.
– I have spent quite a lot of my time on fitness because I have had these diseases. I have to take care of my own health. Now there will certainly be more time for that, Pusa smiles.