Jukka SALMELA

Finnish sprinter Jukka Salmela was a 500 m specialist, and has two seventh places in the 500 metres at the Sprint World Championships as his best international achievements. In February 1980 he placed 18th in the 500 at the Olympic Games. But he had excellent technique, and on 31 March 1980, was the first skater to better 37 seconds for 500 metres when he recorded a hand-timed 36.8 in a race at Medeo. His time was never recognized as a World Record, but no skater recorded a faster time for three years. Salmela, a music teacher, also performed as a singer in bands Tabula Rasa and Salmela Komitea.

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.8 (1980); 1000 – 1:15.8 (1980); 1500 – 2:06.5 (1983); 5000 – 8:35.9 (1981).