Esa Utriainen

Esa Markku Juhani Utriainen (born 20 November 1953) is a Finnish former javelin thrower. He was Finnish champion in 1979 and placed 12th in the 1983 World Championships in Athletics. He remains active in the sport as a coach.

Biography

Utriainen was born in Virtasalmi (now part of Pieksämäki) on 20 November 1953.^[1] He was a finalist at the Finnish championships in 1977 and 1978 before winning in 1979; his winning throw, 90.94 m, remained his personal best.^[1] Track & Field News ranked him in the world's top 10 twice (in 1979 and 1981), with a peak ranking of No. 7 in the latter year.^[2] In 1983 he represented Finland at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki; he qualified for the twelve-man final, but placed last in it.^[3]

After his athletic career he became a coach, originally in Finland; later, he coached the national javelin teams of South Korea and Britain.^[4] In 2015 he became the coach of Qatar's javelin team.^[4]

His daughter Sanni Utriainen, also coached by her father, won the World Junior Championship in 2010.^[4]