Coach: Record holder Junnila still unable to train sufficiently

Finnish high jumper Ella Junnila is facing significant training challenges as she works to regain peak form, according to her coach Tia Hellebaut. The Finnish record holder has been unable to train adequately due to a combination of lingering health issues and the effects of overtraining from previous seasons.

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If the preparation goes smoothly, 194 or more is possible.

Hellebaut, a former Olympic champion herself, has been closely observing Junnila's progress. While acknowledging Junnila's "relatively good condition" and that her run-up technique has improved this season, Hellebaut emphasizes that the process of rebuilding Junnila's jumping technique is ongoing. The focus has shifted from immediate record-breaking to a long-term strategy targeting the 2028 Olympics. This approach involves deconstructing and reconstructing Junnila's jumping mechanics, a process that has required patience and careful management.

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You can see from everything that there are enough ups.

Junnila's season has been a mix of promising performances and setbacks. After setting a new national record of 1.97 meters in mid-June 2024, expectations were high. However, she failed to reach the finals at both the Paris European Championships and the Tokyo World Championships. Her best jump this season was 1.87 meters at her home competition in Tampere, where she finished behind her younger clubmate Ella Mikola. Junnila herself noted on Instagram that a lack of full-speed competition jumps in the past two years has impacted her performance.

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This shows that in the last couple of years, a good portion of full-speed competition jumps have been missed.

Hellebaut revealed that Junnila has battled numerous issues during the training season. Following an ankle injury sustained during the Tokyo World Championships qualifiers, she then suffered from an inner ear infection. This illness, which lasted six weeks, significantly impacted her balance and forced a prolonged break from full-speed jumping. Hellebaut stated, "Her neuromuscular system overloads too easily." The coach added, "Last year's overtraining still limits us. We've had to be very careful, and she still can't train enough. Finding the balance isn't easy."

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Her neuromuscular system overloads too easily.