Saga Vanninen’s tenth place in the women’s heptathlon is the best ranking since 1994. Vanninen scored 6,045 points in her first adult competition.
18.8. 23:43•Updated 0:11
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A septuagenarian Saga Vannisen, 19, the first adult competitions of his career went perfectly. Vanninen finished tenth in Munich with 6,045 points.
It is the best Finnish ranking at the EC level in 28 years. Tina Rättyä was eighth in the 1994 European Championships in Helsinki. After that Tiia Hautala has been 11th at its best.
The heptathlon European champion was Belgium Nafissatou Thiam, who also celebrated the World Championship gold a few weeks ago in Oregon. Thiam’s winning score was 6,628. Poland Adrianna Sulek took silver and Switzerland Annik Kälin was on bronze.
Vanninen’s total score of 6,045 was 226 points short of his record.
– A good and instructive experience, if nothing else, Vanninen summed up his mood Petra Mannerin in a TV interview.
– Nothing specific comes to mind, but in general.
Vanninen set two sport-specific records. In Kuula, Vanninen’s new record readings are 15.08. In the final event at 800 meters, he ran his new record of 2:22.76.
He gave a laconic answer when asked in the interview how the different sports went.
– Kuula’s record remained positive in my memory. It could have been improved a little in other sports, Vanninen stated.
What makes Vanninen’s debut in the world competition particularly impressive is that he was just a couple of weeks ago in Cali, Colombia, winning the junior world championship in the heptathlon.
Two matches in such a short time is no mean feat in a demanding and heavy sport. Vanninen has played a total of four sevens matches this summer.
– These two races came a little close together. But otherwise, four matches in the season will do.