Before taking up bobsledding Juris Tone was a successful track and field athlete, winning the Latvian SSR Championships in the 100 in 1983, and 1987-88, the long jump in 1983 and the 4×100 m relay in 1983-84 and 1987. As of 2010, he still owns the Latvian national long jump record (8.07 – 1983) and is a part of the 4×100 m relay record (39.32 – 1983). As a bobsledder, the apex of Tone's career was at the 1988 Winter Olympics, where he was part of the Soviet bronze medal winning 4-man bob piloted by Jānis Ķipurs. Tone also won silver at the 1990 European Championships in the 2-man with pilot Zintis Ekmanis, and won two Soviet titles in 1987 and 1990.
