Erki Nool, born in Võru on 25 June 1970, was deemed to be Estonia's best athlete in the years 1996-1998, and again in 2000. He was the European Indoor heptathlon champion in 1996. In 1998 Erki Nool became the European Champion and the winner of the Grand Prix. He has won several medals at the World Indoor Championship and at the European Championship. Nool placed sixth at the Atlanta Olympic Games. He is the Estonian record holder in the decathlon, the 200m, and the long jump. In 2000, Erki Nool was the decathlon gold medalist at the Summer Olympics in Sydney. At the World Outdoor Championship in Edmonton, in 2001, Nool won the silver medal.
In 1997, Estonian sports enthusiasts founded the Erki Nool fan club, and about 200 members of this group accompany him to the various international competitions in which he participates. The Estonians’ love and respect for their world class athlete can also be seen from the fact that during the Olympic Games in Sydney, many schools did not have classes on the days when Erki Nool competed.
In 1997, Erki Nool founded an athletics school, which trains young athletes between the ages of 8 and 16. For these youngsters, and all other aspiring young Estonian athletes, Erki Nool has been, and will continue to be a great source of inspiration for a long time to come.