Towards the European Championships with Mustafe Muuse

Mr Muuse has an incredible year behind him. In the summer, the 22-year-old from Turku took the Finnish championships at 5,000 metres on track and at 10,000 metres cross-country running. He also got silver at 1,500 metres in the Finnish Championships and was chosen to the Finnish team for the Finland–Sweden Athletics International.

The next step and goal are set in the European Championships in 2026.

It is not possible to get there, however, without full-time training which is largely financed by sponsors. Altitude training and camps are also important in long distance running, which means travelling abroad.

Mr Muuse was thinking about where he could find a sponsor. He knew that it would not be easy.

“I’m a second-generation immigrant. I have encountered some prejudice while making applications with my own name, and I am not very well known. In addition, I have made it difficult myself: I wanted a partner whose values and story would genuinely unite us”, Mr Muuse explains.

A difficult start

Mr Muuse did not have an easy start for his career. He started doing sports fairly late, was plump and finished competitions among the last ones. It felt like nobody believed in Mr Muuse, and even at home they said that you cannot succeed with an immigrant background.

The young man from Turku kept trying, however. He listened to coaches and developed his running technique.

“I ran my first really fast time in the Aurajoki night run in 2019. It was then I began to believe that I can do this. I fell in love with the Port and the surroundings.”

Mr Muuse has good memories from the Port of Turku. When he was young, the family could not afford to travel much, but once a year they took a trip on a ferry to Sweden. Those trips meant a great deal to Mr Muuse.

”Because time matters”

When looking for a sponsor, Mr Muuse contacted the Port of Turku.

“I wanted to have a partner that is based in Turku, successful and also international. There is no other as international a place in Turku as the port.”

Mr Muuse was pleasantly surprised when he got the reply. Endurance sports fit well the Port of Turku’s theme: “Because time matters”. The athlete running towards his dream convinced the Port: Mr Muuse had shown that people coming from different backgrounds can succeed. He had become a role model for young people. And it was also a plus that Mr Muuse came from Turku and represented a local athletics club.

Mr Muuse and the Port of Turku made a two-year co-operation agreement with the theme “Mustafe Muuse on the way to the 2026 European Athletics Championships”. The games will be arranged in Birmingham.

“I feel that I’m privileged when I get to travel and do what I used to dream of. I believe that the Port of Turku and I have a great partnership ahead of us. We’ll see what we can achieve together.”

Text and photos: Sari Järvinen
Video: Stian Vesterinen