Eugen Uuemaa

Eugen Uuemaa began playing sports when he was in school and went on to found the Tartu School Youth Association Union in the early-1920s. Uuemaa represented Estonia in the decathlon at the 1924 Paris Olympics where he finished 16th, with his best individual results coming in the pole vault (sixth) and the long jump (seventh). The same year at the Student Games he won silver in the long jump and the 4 x 100 metres relay, along with bronze in the 110 metres hurdles, pole vault, shot put, and the medley relay race. In 1921 to 1924 Uuemaa was the Estonian champion in the 110 metres hurdles, decathlon, and the high jump.

Uuemaa graduated from the Department of Commerce of the Faculty of Law of the University of Tartu in 1929 and became an accountant and an economist. He worked as an advisor to the Ministry of Economy before becoming the head of their trade department in 1938. By 1940 he had become the head of the foreign trade department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In July 1940 Uuemaa was arrested during the Soviet occupation of Estonia and died in prison shortly after. Sources differ on his exact cause of death with some saying he was executed by the Soviets in Tallinn with others stating he committed suicide whilst in prison.

Personal Best: Dec – 5186 (1924).