{{Short description|Finnish athletics competitor}} {{Infobox sportsperson | image = Jukka Keskisalo Ruotsiottelu 2014.jpg | imagesize = 200px | birthname = | fullname = Jukka Pekka Sakari Keskisalo<ref name=sports-reference>{{cite web|title=Jukka Keskisalo|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ke/jukka-keskisalo-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417182613/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ke/jukka-keskisalo-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=sports-reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=22 June 2015}}</ref> | nickname = | nationality = Finnish | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|03|27|df=yes}}<ref name=sports-reference/><ref name=european-athletics>{{cite web|title=Jukka Keskisalo|url=http://www.european-athletics.org/athletes/group=k/athlete=143795-keskisalo-jukka/index.html|website=european-athletics.org|publisher=European Athletics|access-date=22 June 2015}}</ref> | birth_place = Varkaus, Finland<ref name=sports-reference/> | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{convert|184|cm|ftin|frac=2|abbr=on}}<ref name=sports-reference/><ref name=european-athletics/> | weight = {{convert|66|kg|lb st|abbr=on}}<ref name=sports-reference/><ref name=european-athletics/> | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20140102193436/http://jukkakeskisalo.fi/ www.jukkakeskisalo.fi] | country = {{FIN}} | sport = Running | event = 3000 m steeplechase | club = Joensuun Kataja<ref name=sports-reference/><ref name=european-athletics/> | turnedpro = | coach = Tommy Ekblom 2001-08 <br /> Risto Ulmala 2009 <br /> Ismo Hämäläinen 2009- | retired = | coaching = | worlds = 2003: 3000 m st 9th <br /> 2005: 3000 m st 7h2 <br /> 2009: 3000 m st 8th | regionals = 2006: 3000 m st {{Gold1}} | nationals = 2008: 3000 m st {{Gold1}}<br>2009: 1500 m {{Gold1}} | olympics = 2008: 3000m st DNS | paralympics = | pb = 1500 m: 3:38.90 (2009) <br /> 3000 m: 7:49.05 (2009) <br /> 5000 m: 13:39.81 (2009) <br /> 10,000 m: 29:07.66 (2009) <br /> 3000 m st: 8:10.67 (2009, NR) | medaltemplates = {{MedalCompetition|European Championships}} {{MedalGold|2006 Gothenburg|3000 m st}} | show-medals = yes }}
'''Jukka Pekka Sakari Keskisalo''' (born 27 March 1981) is a Finnish athlete competing in 3000 m steeplechase and 1500 m. He won the 3000 m steeplechase at the 2006 European Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg and was also an Olympian in 2012.
==Biography==
===Background=== Born in Varkaus, Pohjois-Savo, Keskisalo took a medal in the junior race at the Nordic Cross Country Championships, winning the bronze in 2000.
===Senior athletics career===
====2000s==== Keskisalo finished ninth at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris with his then personal best time, 8:17.72. The next two seasons were hampered by injuries, but he made a strong comeback in 2006 by taking surprise gold at the 2006 European Championships in Athletics. He ran a tactical race, taking advantage of a slow early pace and staying at the rear of the field until the last 500 metres, when he sprinted and overtook the other competitors one by one.<ref>{{cite web | title=Jukka Keskisalo storms to surprise European gold in 3000 metres steeplechase | work=Helsingin Sanomat | url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/FRIDAY+NIGHT+Jukka+Keskisalo+storms+to+surprise+European+gold+in+3000+metres+steeplechase+/1135221025556 | access-date=2007-01-22}}</ref>
Less than a week after the European Championships, Keskisalo placed fourth at the Golden League meet in Zürich with his new record time 8:16.74. Later, Keskisalo was voted Finnish Sportspersonality of the year, ahead of Tanja Poutiainen and Tero Pitkämäki.<ref>{{cite web | title=European Champion Jukka Keskisalo chosen Sports Personality of the Year | work=Helsingin Sanomat | url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/European+Champion+Jukka+Keskisalo+chosen+Sports+Personality+of+the+Year/1135223835073 | access-date=2007-01-22}}</ref>
In 2007 Keskisalo suffered from injuries again. In 2008 he competed for a place in and was selected for the Olympics, however he injured just a few days before his event and was not able to compete. Later in the autumn it was announced that Risto Ulmala would replace Tommy Ekblom as his coach.<ref>{{cite web | title=Ex-huippujuoksija Ulmala valmentamaan Keskisaloa (In Finnish, Former elite runner Risto Ulmala starts to coach Jukka Keskisalo) | work=Helsingin Sanomat | date = 2008-10-19 | url=http://www.hs.fi/urheilu/artikkeli/Ex-huippujuoksija+Ulmala+valmentamaan+Keskisaloa/1135240358380 | access-date=2009-07-22}}</ref>
In 2009 Keskisalo broke his personal best record time twice before the World Championships in Berlin; first a time of 8:15.59 when finishing third at the Golden League event Meeting Areva in Paris, and later a time of 8:12.93 at the Super Grand Prix event Herculis in Monaco. At the World Championships steeplechase final Keskisalo achieved his best result at the global level when finishing eighth with a time of 8:14.47. On 28 August Keskisalo finally broke Tapio Kantanen's 33 years old Finnish record when finishing sixth in a time of 8:10.67 in Weltklasse Zürich. Keskisalo split from coach Ulmala after the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite web | title=Keskisalon ja Ulmalan valmennusyhteistyö päättyi (In Finnish) | work=Helsingin Sanomat | date = 2009-09-15 | url=http://www.hs.fi/urheilu/artikkeli/Keskisalon+ja+Ulmalan+valmennusyhteisty%C3%B6+p%C3%A4%C3%A4ttyi/1135249344046 | access-date=2009-10-03}}</ref> His new coach Ismo Hämäläinen was announced in October 2009. Hämäläinen is more known from cross country skiing and had coached Germany in sprint skiing shortly before.<ref>{{cite web | title= Yllätysnimi Ismo Hämäläinen hiihdosta Keskisalon valmentajaksi (In Finnish) | work=Helsingin Sanomat | date = 2009-10-23 | url=http://www.hs.fi/urheilu/artikkeli/Yll%C3%A4tysnimi+Ismo+H%C3%A4m%C3%A4l%C3%A4inen+hiihdosta+Keskisalon+valmentajaksi/1135250240082 | access-date=2010-06-19}}</ref>
====2010s==== In 2012 Keskisalo was able to compete at the Olympics but did not finish the steeplechase final.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/olympic-results/london-2012/athletics/3000m-steeplechase-m|title=London 2012 3000m steeplechase men Results - Olympic athletics}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links== *{{World Athletics||name=Jukka Keskisalo}} *[http://www.tilastopaja.org/db/fi/atm.php?ID=5022 Tilastopaja profile for Jukka Keskisalo (in Finnish)] {{Footer European Champions 3000 m Steeplechase Men}} {{Finnish Sportspersonality}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keskisalo, Jukka}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Varkaus Category:Finnish men middle-distance runners Category:Finnish men long-distance runners Category:Finnish men steeplechase runners Category:Olympic athletes for Finland Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:European Athletics Championships medalists Category:Athletes from North Savo Category:Finnish Athletics Championships winners Category:21st-century Finnish sportsmen