ESPOO
The stage of a master coach. Athletes are always at the center of everything at the moment of victory. However, on Friday night, the spotlight also got its share Saga Vannisen coach Jesse Jokinen.
After Vanninen’s 7-match championship was secured, Kultakoutsi was able to go through quite an alley of honor. Congratulations poured in from several well-known athletics influencers.
It was Jarkko Finnia, Janne Ukonmaanahoa and Jaakko Ojaniemä. About them, Ukonmaanaho has a fresh memory of how Jokis feels. To be coached by him Top Raitanen won the adult EC gold in hurdles last summer.
– There has never been such a reception. Home competitions do this, Jokinen commented as the reporter hurried alongside the popular coach.
Trainers’ gold nuggets
The coaches of the young generation Jokinen and Jani Pihkanen can enjoy quite a bit of luxury. They each have real gold nuggets in their hands. Pihkanen is responsible for coaching Kosonen, who won gold again in moukari.
The Finnish talents who celebrated the championships in front of their home crowd on Friday night have collected a handsome row of gold medals from the youth competitions. When talking about the European and World Championships for young people, Vanni has four and Kosose has three.
Jokis became Vanninen’s coach last fall. Before that, you were a pilot from Tampere Matti Liimatainenbut Jokinen was already at the youth games in the capacity of sports coach, often helping Vanninen.
Does coaching such a talent put pressure on Koutz?
– Of course it brings that too. I have been given an incredible opportunity with such an athlete.
– Personally, what I feel most about this is that I get to answer for the whole package myself for the first time.
Vanninen’s winning streak has made a big impression on the coach. Of course, even in Kosose there are enough gold medals in a lopsided pile.
– This has certainly not happened in a long time. I’m bad at knowing history, but there’s probably never been a streak like this, Jokinen commented on Vanninen’s winning streak.
Even the superior has enough goals
Silja Kosonen’s father Kimmo Kosonen is confident about his daughter and Vanninen.
– Next, only to the adult series. Both have been there to compete, but those young usually don’t make it there. I hope both of them can stay healthy and improve from that.
Kimmo Kosonen says that you never get too used to the championships. It was Kosonen’s last youth competition.
– However, Silja had set this as the main goal of the season. Silja likes this job. The right kind has been found.
Pihkanen says that Kosonen’s race went according to plan. However, it could be said that it was even better than planned, because Kosonen broke the winning result (73.71) in his first.
– It’s not quite normal Silja. The best throws come only at the end. Good sometimes.
Although Vanninen is a winning machine, the latest championship did not come easily to Holland Sofie Dokter’s thanks to. However, Kosonen was shockingly superior in the race with a difference of four and a half meters.
Someone might think that such superiority isn’t boring and would like to put the straws in the bag already. However, athletics is a great sport because there are always limits.
– The Olympic limit in Paris is 74 meters. It was caught on a small scale, Pihkanen states.
At the World Championships in Budapest, Kosonen defends seventh place. Kosonen pushed at least 72 meters or more four times in the EC final.
Thinking about the World Championships, Kosonen is still a contender. What would a World Cup medal sound like?
– Let’s hope that last year’s investment can be removed. The North American throwers are pretty tough there, but we’ll see. It requires quite a top throw.
To become a world-class fighter
In his most recent gold match, Vanninen scored 6,317. This is the second best score of his career (PB 6,391).
Vanninen is starting to be at the level that on a good day he is in the top eight at the adult WC level.
Where is your coachee going?
– Time will tell. Saga has the potential to become a world-class fighter. Of course he already is. Nothing but the next hundred (points) and let’s see where it leads to, says Jokinen.
Vanninen doesn’t show his emotions very often in public. However, a cool-headed athlete knows how to give his coach his value.
– I feel that we have a really good relationship of trust. I know Saga appreciates what we do together.