“I want to jump with joy”

High jump became Ella Junnila’s chosen discipline during summer training at the sports school when she was seven or eight years old. She hasn’t regretted that choice. In the summer of 2019, Ella raised the national record bar to new heights on two occasions. The record-holder expresses immense joy in her jumping, and, as she puts it, her best results come through joy.

“I was already a keen spectator at that time, and during the same summer, there were also championships. The older age group had high jump on that day, and I wanted to jump with them. High jump felt like an easy sport to understand. I felt good at it right from the beginning,” Ella recalls.

A pivotal moment in Ella’s career was the transition to her current technique coach, Jouko Kilpi, in 2016.

“At that time, we changed our training, and through that, we’ve reached the situation we’re in now. Also, clearing 190 cm for the first time is personally a big, important thing, as was winning a youth European Championship medal the following summer.”

Improvement jump by jump

High jumpers require focus and the ability to handle pressure. Additionally, high jumpers must endure—and according to Ella, even somewhat enjoy—the fact that competitions last a long time, and the outcomes are only revealed at the very end.

“On the first round, you can’t make your best jump. If you clear the bar at 160 cm, the result is 160 cm and not a centimeter more. You have to be able to concentrate throughout the entire competition, often even for two hours. At the same time, you have to keep your body active the whole time.”

Muscles need to stay warm throughout the competition. The nervous system also needs to be alert for the performance.

“A long competition requires enough clothing, especially in Finland, where the temperature can fluctuate even 10 degrees Celsius in the summer. Some athletes also use heat gels. At suitable intervals, we also do sharp jumps, hopping, or sprints to keep the muscles active and the nervous system alert. Each athlete determines what works for them. Personally, I like calf raises and short sprints,” Ella explains.

One of Ella’s strengths as a high jumper is the ability to improve her performance throughout the entire long competition, jump by jump. “One of the best aspects of the sport is that the competition is far from over if there happens to be one weak performance. The first jump doesn’t decide anything in either direction.”

Brave women as role models

Identifiable role models are important to each individual—both in sports and in life in general. Ella mentions two strong women who have made a significant impression on her.

“In my sport, the only clear object of admiration is Tia Hellebaut. She is a Belgian high jumper who has already retired. I started admiring her when I was young. I was prescribed reading glasses, and what interested me about Tia was that she jumped with glasses on. No other woman at the high jump level wore glasses, so she became someone I could bond with as a young Ella. Someone to say, ‘Hey, wow, there’s an elite athlete with glasses!’ It was important to me at that time.”

For Ella, her own grandmother is one of the biggest role models. “She’s an amazing person. I admire her a lot. For example, when she was a young woman, she went to Germany for agricultural training—back when the world was very different. How brave she has been as a young woman, and now over 70 years old, is admirable,” Ella says.

In addition to sports, Ella mentions that she enjoys following politics, which has been a longstanding shared hobby in her family. “We discuss political topics at home—though not always so seriously. Societal issues are close to our hearts.”

Ella is not involved in party politics and doesn’t feel the need to be. She is more interested in political research, societal impacts, causes and consequences, and everything else related to politics. Her future academic aspirations also revolve around this theme.

Jumps with joy

Ella’s potential as a high jumper may very well be sufficient to surpass the two-meter mark in the future.

“I don’t think every day about when that two meters will be broken. Instead, I think that I work every day towards making it happen. I have a habit of occasionally setting the bar at two meters in the hall. I look at it and mark it. Today, two meters doesn’t seem as high as it did three or four years ago,” Ella reflects.

In the summer of 2019, Ella improved the Finnish record in two competitions. First, in June in Turku, she cleared 194 centimeters. In July in Tampere, the record improved by another centimeter to 195 cm.

“There was pressure on the competition day in Turku—not necessarily for breaking the Finnish record, but generally to jump a good result. I was really charged up for that competition, and I knew I was in good shape. Breaking the record was an explosive feeling of joy. In Tampere, there wasn’t much pressure. There had been a slight ankle issue in the background, and I approached that day as a practice for the youth European Championships. So, I didn’t expect a record at all. I was really surprised, but of course, proud too!” Ella explains.

Every athlete faces pressure. Ella overcomes pressure best by focusing on simply enjoying the jumps.

“Every time, I think that I do this for myself, and I enjoy it immensely. I just love to jump! And I always want to go a little higher. When you know you’re in good shape, you can trust that your body will perform. Building self-confidence is key for me in handling pressure.”

“I have sometimes tried to focus on a specific result or ranking, but it hasn’t worked. I want to continue jumping with joy,” Ella concludes.

(Picture: Jesse Väänänen @jessevaananen)

Energy from supporters

High-level sports require sacrifices, including from a financial perspective. Ella Junnila is grateful for her collaboration with Renta, as it enables her to pursue her athletic career professionally. The chemistry with the Rentan team seems to be excellent in other aspects as well.

“Without Renta’s support, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be a full-time athlete. I would inevitably have to work part-time somewhere else. Additionally, Renta has amazing people! I really like them a lot. I also appreciate the energy within the company and the attitude with which they do what they do,” Ella enthuses.

For her success, Ella also credits her support team: coaches and the physical team. When asked about someone she trusts, Ella names the entire collective community behind her career.

“I’ve jokingly talked about the ‘men of my life,’ with whom I can share both the worries of sports and civilian life. Of course, one of my coaches is also my spouse, so civilian life is close in that way too. Looking at it from a sports perspective, coaches Jouko Kilpi and Mikko Rummukainen, massage therapists Ville-Matti Rantala and Heikki Koskela, and physiotherapist Juuso Sillanpää – that’s the most reliable group.”

Finally, Ella has one message for people.

“You don’t need to and shouldn’t take sports too seriously. That’s the message of joy I want to spread in the world”.