Jari Mäkinen is a Finnish

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

 motorcycle speedway

Motorcycle speedway

Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...

 rider.

Born in Hämeenkyrö

Hämeenkyrö

Hämeenkyrö is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...

, Mäkinen took up speedway at the age of eight. He has ridden for several teams in Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 (including current team Rospiggarna

Rospiggarna

- History :The club was founded in 1930 and were named Orion, although it did not compete in the Swedish speedway leagues until 1966. The club joined the Swedish Division Three in 1966 and the team name was changed to Stjärnorna . In 1978 the name was changed again to Rospiggarna which is a...

), Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

, and Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

, and in the UK for Mildenhall Fen Tigers

Mildenhall Fen Tigers

The Mildenhall Fen Tigers are a British speedway team, currently riding in the National League.The club moved up to the Premier League in 2006 after twelve seasons in the Conference League when new promoter Mick Horton took over. In 2007 Stadium owner Carl Harris formed 'Fen Tigers Limited' with...

 in 2008 and in the Premier League

Speedway Premier League

The Premier League is the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom and goverened by the Speedway Control Board , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . The Premier League was founded in 1995 when it replaced the British League as the first division...

 for Somerset Rebels

Somerset Rebels

The Somerset Rebels are a Speedway team from Highbridge, Somerset. Founded in 2000, the club competes in the British Premier League. Their home track is located at the Oak Tree Arena.-History:...

 in 2009. In November 2011 he signed with Leicester Lions for the 2012 Premier League season.

Mäkinen won the Finnish Under-21 Championship in 2007.

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