Tom Ukonmaanaho is Prince George's answer to Usain Bolt.
As the Jamaican sprinter was blowing past the competition at the London Olympics in the 100- and -200-metre races, the 67-year-old was blazing down the track to gold in the same races in his native Finland at the 2012 Finnish Masters Championship in Oulo, about four hours northwest of Helsinki.
In addition to the two gold medals Ukonmaanaho also picked up a bronze medal in the long jump competition. Unlike Bolt, the Prince George runner is a tad less flashy.
"You are pleased when you end up first at the finish line," said Ukonmaanaho. "I'm surprised every time I go to the track and do something."
He finished the 100m in 13.32 seconds while his time in the 200m was 28.18. Both were personal best times. In the long jump he flew to a 3.98m distance. There were 12 competitors in the 100m and 10 in the 200m after the field was whittled down from a heat.
A track and field athlete in Finland during his youth, Ukonmaanaho returned to the sport when he turned 60 after a 30-year absence.
"I felt that I was still healthy enough to take part and to keep the appetite up so I could eat more," he said. "I don't have any set program I just train with how I feel on any given day."
Ukonmaanaho said he timed his trip to Finland to visit his sisters and mother-in-law to coincide with the masters championship. Even though he won three medals he only returned home with two after giving his mother-in-law one of the gold medals as an early 98th birthday gift.
"I had two of them and I thought she earned one of them for just being a good mother-in-law," he said.
Ukonmaanaho will have the opportunity to earn eight more medals this week when he represents Zone 9 (North Central) at the B.C. 55-plus Seniors Games in Burnaby from today to Saturday. In addition to the 100m, 200m and long jump, Ukonmaanaho will also try to master the high jump, pole vault, hammer throw, discus and javelin.
"I'll have to see what I can do there," said Ukonmaanaho about what will be his eighth B.C. senior games. "It's tough every time, but it's not the goal to get the medals; just to take part is special."
The secret to Ukonmaanaho's success could be lie with his training partners. He works out on the track with members of the Prince George Track and Field Club.
"One puts in a little more effort when there's somebody else running with you," he said. "It's a healthy competition. As long as I can keep some of the youngsters behind me I will be happy."
