Tero Pitkämäki, who ended his career in 2019, talks about his current life in ‘s new documentary. Ilmajokinen runs a family of three and a forestry company, but at the same time manages to train one of the most talented shooters in our country.
The documentary Tero Pitkämäki – Tour of Honor will be published on TV2 and Areena on Sunday at 7.15 pm.
“Masterful forestry” is part of the company’s slogan. Whatever else, the company was founded by former champion throwers Tero Pitkämäki and Antti Ruuskanen. The duo run a forestry company whose services include traditional forest machine contracting and fertilization services. Pitkämäki is the Chairman of the Board, and Ruuskanen is the President and CEO.
– There are two forest machines in Northern Savonia still roaming the forest, Pitkämäki laughs in an interview with a recent documentary.
Entrepreneurship was already of interest to both of them during their sports careers, but the actual business idea was born only after Ruuskanen retired from his job as a javelin thrower last summer. In late 2021, the duo founded the company.
Pitkämäki ended his career in 2019. The forestry company is only one part of the busy modern life of the former spear star.
Authority ends at 91.54
Pitkämäki’s actual bread work is in coaching. He was elected the Finnish Sports Association’s javelin throw coach at the end of 2020. He works at Kuortane Sports College, where Pitkämäki’s personal coach Oliver Helander practices often.
– Tero is the person who started spear throwing. I watched as he threw it at 91 Kuortane, so I bought my own spear from it and went to the yard to throw it, Helander describes his childhood idol.
Now this same idol is closely following the stretching movements of 25-year-old Helander’s upper body in Kuortane’s hall.
– 89 meters from there, Pitkämäki splits.
The coach does not look satisfied.
– It should start with nines. 91.54.
– Happy. Authority ends there, laughs Pitkämäki, whose record in Kuortane in 2005 was 91.53.
Immediately after his decision to close, in the fall of 2019, Pitkämäki tried the sales job for a while.
– I had a pretty negative attitude towards coaching. I wanted to break out of the sport for a while, but after 6-7 months, it started to feel like coaching could be a good thing. Afterwards, when I think about it, I have always had a desire to help, Pitkämäki thinks.
The sales work did not feel like its own and was noticed by others as well.
– Tero has always been more of a doing guy than a talking guy, a credit muscle caretaker Pentti Niemi tokaisee.
As a coach, Pitkämäki assures that he will feel even better.
More than one, less than five
Pitkämäki’s days are spent closely in Kuortane, but at home in Ilmajoki, three children are waiting for Pitkämäki, the oldest of whom started school last autumn. The sound level on the ex-shooter’s farms sometimes exceeds the noise level and running feet seem to be everywhere. Pitkämäki himself runs when he chases after his baby cat, sometimes kicks football and throws the youngest in the air.
– It was immediately clear to me that having children has always been. More than one, less than five. So those three are a pretty good solution we have now.
However, there is no play or clown at the dining table. All three children sit in their own seats when it is time for the family to have dinner together.
– My surface can’t stand everything. I can’t stand messing with food. There may be another mess, but I have something in it, Pitkämäki says and my cohabiting spouse Niina Kelo nods next to.
– I’m more temperamental than we are, but Tero also has nerves. It won’t be anything when he even starts assembling the furniture, Kelo continues.
In his sports career, Pitkämäki won seven medals and was the only Finn to compete in the overall athletics Diamond League. Pitkämäki, 39, no longer has any athletic goals, although he still works out regularly.
– I have goals in life mainly through the eyes of children. I would like to raise children well and wish them a good, balanced future.