Sponsorship | Nooralotta Neziri, Leo-Pekka Tähti and Eemil Helander founded a new value competition project, which should bring in a good amount of money: “It’s not some UFO thing”

Athletes are excited, and the manager wonders where it all came from.

That’s the starting point for three Finnish athletes and their manager Jukka Virtanen for a project whose purpose is to succeed in the 2023 and 2024 prestigious athletics and para-athletic competitions.

“The motivation to succeed is high when this is the end of my career as a manager,” says Virtanen.

At the time, Virtanen was founding the Finnish Sports Manager Association, of which he is now the executive director. The association has about 150 members.

To succeed, the project called Lentoon needs money and sponsors. The name of the project begins with three athletes, Leo-Pekka Tähten, by Eemil Helander and Nooralotta Nezirinwith first name letters.

Tähti, 39, is already aiming for her sixth track and field gold at the Paralympics in 2024.

Nezir’s, 29, goal is to run in the final of the 100-meter real European Championships in 2024 and at least in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and in addition to reclaim the Finnish record for the distance.

Helander, 21, is the future promise of the trio, who are expected to be European champions Raitanen’s top mantle heir in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

“The star ends his glorious career. Neziri is seeking the decision he deserves to end his career, but it is not yet known whether it will be in 2024. My motivation also comes from the fact that I want to get Helander’s career off to a good start,” says Virtanen.

Finished the season was ruined by Nezir and Helander due to injuries, but now both are starting to get fit again.

Without an ankle injury in the spring, Helander would have competed for a place in the European hurdles already this year. In August, he competed in the Kaleva Games, where he finished sixth at 5,000 meters. In 2021, he won the Finnish championship in hurdles and five tons.

Nezir’s heel was operated on at the beginning of August, and he will not compete until next year. The star had no value races this year.

“It’s great that the big wheel has been set in motion. Everything is aimed at Paris and the year 2024. The project is ambitious, but without it it will be difficult to reach the top and aim for the brightest crown. For me, it means Paralympic gold and the end of my great career,” says Tähti.

Also financially, the Lentoon project is an ambitious partnership between three traditional companies. Virtanen is currently conducting contract negotiations with potential partners.

The purpose is to receive 25,000 euros per year from each company. Athletes share 20,000 euros in fixed amounts and receive an annual bonus of 5,000 euros based on success, social media and company recommendations.

In total, it is therefore a project of 150,000 euros in two years.

Virtanen calculates that the three athletes have a total of around 120,000 followers on social media channels alone. The project hires a professional for social media management.

HS also follows the progress of the Lentoon project.

“I think this is a fun and good idea from Juka. Our group is excellent for this. There are different ages, different species, different genders and different personalities. I believe that this will result in a versatile package”, says Neziri.

When Virtanen finishes as a manager, he transfers his own duties to Neziri, who is interested in taking care of the athletes’ affairs. In a way, he is already Helander’s assistant manager.

“It’s wonderful to get involved in a joint project with Konkari. They have already found their way to the international top. I believe that now I also have the opportunity to do the same, when I get two years of high-quality and supported training in the machine”, says Helander.

The project an additional idea is to get an insurance company involved as well, which would insure the success of the athletes.

The athlete’s success would therefore be an “injury” for which the insurance company would pay.

In the case of a star, “injury” would be Parakulta in Paris in 2024, Neziri a place in the semi-finals or the final of the European Championships, and Helander getting into the 12 group in the European Championships.

Neziri heard the insurance idea from another athlete at his training camp in Austria.

“It’s not a UFO story. It has been implemented in Europe,” says Virtanen.