Jay Hakkinen Explained

Jay Hakkinen
Fullname:Jay William Hakkinen
Birth Date:19 July 1977
Birth Place:Kasilof, Alaska,
United States
Disciplines:Biathlon
Wcdebut:March 11, 1995
Olympicteams:4 (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010)
Olympicmedals:0
Worldsteams:14 (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
Worldsmedals:0
Wcseasons:18 (1994/95,
1996/97–2012/13)
Wcrelayswins:0
Wcrelayspodiums:0
Show-Medals:yes

Jay William Hakkinen (born July 19, 1977) is a former biathlete. He is a four-time American Olympian, and his 10th-place finish in the 20-kilometer individual race at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy was the best finish ever by an American biathlete.[1]

Hakkinen retired from the sport at the end of the 2013–14 season.[2]

Background

At the age of three, Hakkinen learned how to skate. Soon after, he picked up cross-country skiing, where he won the Junior 5 km freestyle. He got involved in biathlon when in 1994, he went for a year to a Norwegian town in a student exchange program.[3] His host parents were able to arrange for him to trade with a local biathlon club. Within three years of returning home to Alaska, he was the Junior World Champion of biathlon.

Performance in Turin

Hakkinen placed 10th in the 20-kilometer individual race at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He had the 2nd fastest skiing time of anyone in the competition, but failed to medal because of penalties he earned while shooting.[4] He vowed to medal in his next event, but instead missed all five targets and fell quickly out of contention.[5] Hakkinen was the lead biathlete for the United States in the relay, and was in first place when he handed off to his teammate; ultimately, however, the United States finished in 9th in the relay.[6]

Biathlon results

All results are sourced from the International Biathlon Union.[7]

Olympic Games

EventIndividualSprintPursuitRelay
align=left 1998 Nagano42nd60th17th
align=left 2002 Salt Lake City26th26th13th15th
align=left 2006 Turin10th78th13th9th
align=left 2010 Vancouver76th54th57th13th

World Championships

EventIndividualSprintPursuitTeamRelay
align=left 1997 Brezno-Osrblie37th14th20th
align=left 1998 Pokljuka39th10th
align=left 1999 Kontiolahti48th16th24th18th18th
align=left 2000 Oslo Holmenkollen31st32nd30th16th
align=left 2001 Pokljuka39th31st41st
align=left 2003 Khanty-Mansiysk47th51st17th
align=left 2004 Oberhof70th47thLAP18th
align=left 2005 Hochfilzen69th18th23rdDNS
align=left 2006 Pokljuka18th
align=left 2007 Antholz-Anterselva31st38th18th9th9th
align=left 2008 Östersund89th15th
align=left 2009 PyeongchangDNF
align=left 2011 Khanty-Mansiysk80th42nd35th6th13th
align=left 2012 Ruhpolding31st91st10th

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Improved U.S. team targets increased exposure . Dure, Beau . February 9, 2010 . . June 14, 2010.
  2. Web site: Biathlete on the Rise, Smith Earns National Team Nomination as U.S. Builds for Future . Little . Chelsea . May 16, 2014 . FasterSkier . December 25, 2014.
  3. Web site: Jay Hakkinen Bio . . June 14, 2010 . January 31, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100131103737/http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=2024/bio/index.html . dead .
  4. News: USA's Hakkinen skies well, ends a shot short of bronze . Boeck, Greg . February 11, 2006 . . June 14, 2010.
  5. Web site: American way off-target in quest for biathlon medal . February 14, 2006 . . June 14, 2010.
  6. News: Germany wins biathlon relay; U.S. briefly in first . February 21, 2006 . . June 14, 2010.
  7. Web site: Jay Hakkinen . IBU Datacenter . International Biathlon Union . July 31, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150627090050/http://services.biathlonresults.com/athletes.aspx?IbuId=BTUSA11907197701 . June 27, 2015 .