Jani Haapamäki (born 15 May 1982 in
Kauhajoki) is a
Finnish wrestler (
Greco-Roman). He won a gold medal at the
2009 European Wrestling Championships in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 55 kg event.[1] Haapamäki represents the Kauhajoen Karhu (Eng. Kauhajoki Bears) sportsclub and is coached by wrestler Juha Virtanen.[2]
Career
Haapamäki has been wrestling since 1987. In his junior years, he was coached by Hannu Vuorenmaa and Reijo Haaparanta. In 2004 Haapamäki started internationally as a senior. The bantamweight failed twice to qualify for the Olympic Games in
Athens. At the European Championships in Haparanda in the same year, he unexpectedly finished fifth. In the following tournaments, however, he always occupied a place in the lower rankings. It was not until 2008 that he was able to get back into the top ten at the European Championships in Tampere with 5th place. However, he again failed to qualify for the
2008 Summer Olympics.
At the
2009 European Wrestling Championships in Vilnius, he made it to the finals after defeating Bekchan Mankijew from Russia, where he defeated the Poles Mariusz Łoś on points.[3] In the following time he could no longer call this performance up to this extent. He finished eighth at the 2009 World Cup in Herning, and seventh a year later in Moscow.
2004, 5th place, EM in Haparanda, GR, up to 55 kg, after victories over Sergei Skrypka, Germany and Tibor Olah, Hungary and a defeat against
Artiom Kiouregkian, Greece
2005, 25th place, World Championships in Budapest, GR, up to 55 kg, after a defeat against Anders Nyblom, Denmark
2006, 15th place, EM in Moscow, GR, up to 55 kg, after a defeat against Artiom Kiourengian
2006, 21st place, World Championships in Guangzhou, GR, up to 55 kg, after a defeat against Jerbol Konyratow, Kyrgyzstan
2008, 5th place, EM in Tampere, GR, up to 55 kg, after victories over Huseyin Ayguen, Turkey and Iwan Gusow and defeats against
Rövşən Bayramov, Azerbaijan and Peter Modos, Hungary
2009, 1st place, EM in Vilnius, GR, up to 55 kg, after victories over Roberto Pira, Italy, Lascha Gogitadze, Georgia, Maxim Katscharski, Belarus, Bekchan Mankijew, Russia and Mariusz Łoś, Poland
2009, 8th place, World Championships in Herning, GR, up to 55 kg, after victories over Godertsi Dawitadse, Georgia and Anders Rønningen, Norway and a defeat against Choi Gyu-jin, South Korea
2010, 7th place, World Championships in Moscow, GR, up to 55 kg, after victories over Federico Manea, Italy, Ferhat Tekin, Turkey and Lascha Gogitadze and defeats against
Hamid Soryan, Iran and Wenelin Wenkow, Bulgaria
2011, 25th place, World Championships in Istanbul, GR, up to 55 kg, after a defeat against
Yun Won-chol, North Korea
2013, 24th place, World Championships in Budapest, GR, up to 55 kg
Finnish championships
2001, 6th place, FS, up to 60 kg, u. a. behind Marko Kaarto and Jouni Rosenlöf
2002, 4th place, GR, up to 60 kg, behind Marko Isokoski, Janne Kinnunen and Terho Kettunen
2004, 1st place, GR, up to 55 kg, ahead of Petri Isokoski and Teemu Mattila
2005, 1st place, FS, up to 60 kg, ahead of Jukka Hyytiäinen and Jarmo Hyytiäinen
2007, 3rd place, GR, up to 55 kg, behind Ville Käki and Teemu Mattila
2008, 1st place, GR, up to 55 kg, ahead of Fazel Ahmadi and Ville Käki
2009, 1st place, GR, up to 55 kg, ahead of Niko Ohukainen and Fatos Durmishi