“I’ve seen that pain in him”

TURKU. – I guess this is Anderson Petersin show.

Spear throwing that ended his career Tero Pitkämäki estimates that in Turku before the spear race of the Paavo Nurmi Games, if one of the well – known participants’ guards throws close to 90 meters, it would be Grenada star Peters, who holds the top result of the season 93.07.

Pitkämäki started Oliver Helander as a personal trainer last fall. When asked about expectations for the second race of Helander’s season, Pitkämäki sighed and laughed.

– Good question. If the best thing to do this season was around 83-84 meters, it would be okay, Pitkämäki said before the race.

Helander opened the race with a throw of 77.65 meters. At the start of the second round, there was tension in the arcade to see if 80 meters would be exceeded on the next throw.

Helander broke his record and the fourth-toughest all-time result of 89.83. Helander, 25, improved his four-year-old record by almost two meters.

Helander’s siblings Benjamin and Minea as well as the mother Leona Helander bounced upright in the stands as the spear curved to record readings.

– I am terribly happy and relieved that he can finally show what he really knows. I’ve always known she has huge potential, but she hasn’t been allowed to show it, Mom Leona says.

Oliver Helander’s potential has remained hidden in recent years due to numerous injuries. Watching the difficulties next door has been tough for the mother of the sports family.

– I’ve seen that pain in him, but he’s so calm and never complains. For me, the most important thing is that he gets the result of the work he has dedicated his entire life to.

The family got excited about the victory for four more rounds. In the end, the reigning Olympic winner was left behind Neeraj Chopraworld champion Anderson Peters and a slew of other world top scorers.

With a new Indian record of 89.30, Chopra got the closest, but was not disappointed by the Finnish winner’s readings.

From time to time, Helander went to greet his family on the edge of the field. The good-natured shooter even gave his autograph to the children who asked for it in the middle of the race.

The little brother Benjamin, who had thrown a spear at a younger age but had since chosen handball as his main sport, was happy for his brother and could immediately say the reason for the wild leap in development.

– I’m just really proud of him. I think Tero is a really good coach for him, but the biggest thing is that he has stayed healthy, Benjamin Helander said.

Even this season, Helander’s health condition has been under discussion, as his shoulder ached in May after the season’s opening race. The pain was relieved in early June by a cortisone spike. According to Helander, the shoulder was in good condition in Turku.

Pitkämäki revealed after the race that the assessment of Helander’s condition that hit the bottom line was not just a coaching tactic.

– 89 was a top-down success today. I really imagined it 83-84 for the day. I made a realistic assessment, Pitkämäki said.

According to Helander, almost everything hit the button in the record throw, but Pitkämäki disagreed.

– It wasn’t the perfect throw. I watched Oliver whistle a little to get overwhelmed. Probably not many cents left.

The last time a Finn threw away was 15 years ago: who but Pitkämäki himself. It was a throw that won the World Championships at the Osaka World Championships in 2007. It carried 90.33 meters and is one of the most memorable performances of Pitkämäki’s career.

Pitkämäki was on the same lines with Benjamin Helander that the arc of almost ninety doesn’t just go to the peak of a coach change.

– I don’t know if it’s up to me. The potential for such arcs has existed. In the winter it has been possible to throw in a fairly regular way. Even more of a hard routine is needed. At this point, this is the top situation, Pitkämäki says.

‘s athletics broadcasts will continue on Saturday, when it is the turn of the Kuortane GP competition. Live broadcast at 5.20 pm on TV2 and Areena.