Olli Ojanaho – alone in the forest from 5 years of age

Olli Ojanaho – alone in the forest from 5 years of age

Olli Ojanaho is already remarkably full of experience from orienteering. And from today he is also a gold medal winner at international level.

The Finn was in front from the start in the first forest final at the Junior World Championships in Rauland in Norway. The last starter in the final had a gap of almost one minute when passing the arena before the very last controls and then lost some seconds, but it was a clear win for the 18-year-old Finn, who had big expectations before the race. “I was third in the Middle Distance last year”, Olli says. He is from Rovaniemi in the northern part of Finland.

The second-year junior is born into finding red and white flags and he learnt the art of navigation very early. “At the age of five year I started to run alone”, he tells.

He enjoyed the Middle race, organised in Rauland, about 200 kilometres north-east of the capital Oslo. “It was challenging both technically and physically. That’s what I like. I took time to do the orienteering when that was important and pushed hard when that was possible”.

He can take part in two more JWOCs before he moves into the senior ranks, but already on Thursday there is a new big chance in Norway, in the Long Distance.

In his daily life, Olli goes to a school for people who are serious about sport. “I am training together with those who compete in track and field”, he says.