Keeping pace with Jaanson

Silver medallist Jueri Jaanson of Estonia in the men’s single at Athens

Patience is a virtue and no one knows it more than Estonia’s Jueri Jaanson. Jaanson had enough patience to wait until his fifth Olympics to win a medal. But Jaanson, who says his ultimate goal is to get an Olympic gold, is not slowing down. After winning silver in the men’s single at Athens the 39-year-old has ignited a new flame and taken all of the necessary steps to make Beijing 2008 a winning Olympics.

Serbia & Montenegrin rowing journalist Vojin Jovanovic caught up with Jaanson while Jaanson was training with the 25-strong Estonian national team for the last two-and-a-half weeks on Lake Sava and the river Sava in Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro.

This is the first time Jaanson has trained with the Estonian team in a few years as leading up to Athens he was working with coach Igor Grinko who has been based in the United States. Grinko first worked with Jaanson nearly two decades ago when Jaanson and Grinko were both part of the Soviet Union sports system. Grinko now coaches in China and the duo’s relationship has continued with Jaanson recently spending time in China with Grinko prior to going to Belgrade.

But Jaanson now plans to train more frequently in Estonia as he says he has spent a lot of time away from his family. “Now I wish to be closer to my family and to my home,” says Jaanson. “Also I wish to row with my team mates to see if it is smart to try larger boats, not just the single.”

Jaanson has two girls, Anita who is 10 and five year old Greta. His wife, Tatjana is a former rower who competed internationally for the Soviet Union and now coaches for Estonia.

Jueri Jaanson & wife Tatjana

Tatjana joined Jaanson in Belgrade and although she has her own team to coach she also helped with Jaanson’s training. “He was good and obedient,” Tatjana confessed, with a smile. Tatjana’s main role is to coach the Estonian men’s quad that finished ninth at Athens and she says that Belgrade was the first time her crew had been on the water for five months due to the cold in Estonia.

Jaanson was optimistic about his training went although he admitted that he did not arrive in Belgrade in great shape. “I had good training there,” says Jaanson. “Before the rowing competition starts I believe I’ll improve my condition well enough to be the old Jueri.”

Jaanson’s lead up to the 2005 season has already been filled with success. In October last year he won the Head of the Charles in the United States. He followed this up in November with a win in the Silver Skiff in Italy and last week he competed in Amsterdam’s Skiffhead Regatta finishing back in the field after stopping to help competitor Rogier Blink who flipped during the race.

At this rate Jaanson will be a rower to watch as the next four year Olympic cycle gets into full swing.

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