Uno Kajak

Uno Kajak was 7-years-old when he took up sport, initially playing basketball, before becoming a pioneer of winter sports in Estonia. At the national championships from 1951 to 1962, Kajak won four golds, a silver, and two bronze medals in ski jumping, along with three golds, a silver and a bronze in the Nordic combined. In 1956 he was selected to represent the Soviet Union in the Nordic combined at the Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics, placing 26th.

In the summer Kajak continued to play basketball, finishing second with the Tartu State University team at the 1954 Estonian championships. He was also a keen distance runner, finishing second in the 3,000 metres steeplechase at the 1956 national championships. After his retirement from sport Kajak worked as a coach for the national ski jumping team before later working as a teacher in a primary school.