May 27, 2007

South Carolina’s Jussi Heikkila, a Finnish native, ran a personal best 50.28 to finish fifth in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA East Region Championship and advance to the NCAA Championship on June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif. USCsports.com visited with Jussi on his way back from the NCAA East Region meet. Heikkila graduated two weeks ago with a degree in Finance. The following are some of his answers.

USC: Next weekend you are going to NCAA Championship. What will you do to prepare for the NCAA meet?

JH: There isn’t much to do anymore. The training is done. I will just concentrate. I will get a couple good massages and a couple good practices before we leave for California next Sunday.

USC: What events are you competing in?

JH: I’m competing in the 400m hurdles and I will also be an alternate on the Gamecocks’ 4x400m relay. They were third at the NCAA Indoor Championships. They have run a season-best 3:03.86 outdoors.

USC: What are your goals for the NCAA Championship?

JH: I want to run three races. Some people say be `All-American’, which is fine – but I want to make the finals. And I want to run the `B’ standard of 49.8 while in Sacramento as well.

USC: You graduated last week with a degree in Finance. You’ve been on the Dean’s List. How do you balance school with competition?

JH: It’s time management. Normally track is first. I think there is time. I don’t have a lot of time to just be in my room watching TV. If I am in my room, I am studying. There isn’t a lot of time to do nothing. I took 30 hours this past semester to graduate.

USC: Do you have any superstitions or rituals?

JH: No. I have a normal warm-up. I don’t listen to music. I do just basic stuff. I think through the race as I am getting ready.

USC: What sports did you play growing up?

JH: I played ice hockey, volleyball and baseball. It’s Finnish baseball, not American baseball. It’s a totally different game in Finland. It’s faster in Finland. I started running track when I was five years old – 19 year ago. My father, Matti Heikkila, coached me since I was young. I competed in everything in track since I was 16, but now I just compete in the 400m hurdles.

USC: Your cousin Valtteri Filppula plays for the Detroit Red Wings and they just missed making the Stanley Cup Finals. What team are you pulling for in the Stanley Cup Finals now?

JH: The Anaheim Ducks. I think my reason is because they deserve to win the Cup the most. I never liked Ottawa – they are a boring team. There is also a Finnish player on the Ducks – Teemu Selanne – and he is one of the best. Hockey is my favorite sport after track. I have moved off campus and right now we don’t have a TV – so I haven’t been able to watch the games, but I hope to go someplace (restaurant) to watch the Stanley Cup.

USC: What is the best lesson you’ve learned growing up?

JH: If you try hard, you will reach your goals. It normally works. I learned that from my father.

USC: What do you want South Carolina Gamecock fans to know about you?

JH: I read what Thomas Hilliard said and I liked his answer. He said that he is a hard worker. Sometimes people feel like I am athlete I get better grades, but I work for my grades.

I have also been in the Finnish Army (military) for one year. In Finland you have to serve a minimum of six months in the military. I was a scout. I would be the guy who would go behind enemy lines. I did all my training in Finland.

USC: What is the craziest question one of your American teammates has asked you about Finland?

JH: It wasn’t my teammate, but one girl asked me where I am from and I said `Finland’. She said `I don’t know that state, where is that state?’ (she meant like in America). That was the craziest thing I’ve heard.

USC: What is your favorite thing about Carolina?

JH: The weather and my friends. It’s warm. There’s no Winter, there is no snow. It snows from early November through the end of March in Finland. I have made a lot of friends on the track team.

USC: Is there anything people would be surprised to know about you athletically?

JH: Maybe people don’t know my personal best in the decathlon is over 6,400 points. It would score at the SEC Championships normally.

USC: What do you like to do in your free time?

JH: I like hanging out with my friends on the track team. They are all different. I like to watch movies with them.

USC: Is there anything you would like to say to your friends and family in Finland?

JH: No (he laughs). I look forward to coming back to Finland in a couple more weeks. I like America, but I miss Finland. I can cook Finnish food, so whatever I ate there I can eat here America.

USC: You have lived in the America for a year and half. Through your travels in America, what has surprised you the most? What have you been most impressed by?

JH: That there is no downtown in any of the cities I have been to in the US. Philadelphia is the only town that has a downtown that I am use to. I have been most impressed by how friendly people are in the south. Everyone says `Hi’ whether I know them or not.