The fact that the ranking of the World Championships in Budapest was open for the last day on Sunday gave the Keihäsmen an additional contribution to the finals of the Kaleva Games in Lahti. Sports expert by Mikaela Ingberg according to Sunday’s SM competition, rather than clarifying the choices, because there were no big surprises in the competition.
Oliver Helander threw 85.32 with his third and won the Finnish championship. Toni Kuusela was second (83.38) and Taneli Juutinen third (78.98). Lassi Etelätalo was narrowly fourth with a score of 78.96.
Helander, who threw the season’s best result of 87.32 in June, has already been selected for the World Championships in Budapest. Etelätalo also broke the WC limit of 85.20 last August. Toni Kuusela is strong in the ranking.
According to Ingberg, a particularly positive aspect of Helander’s competition was that the WC gold medalist threw six throws, three of which carried more than 80 meters. Consistency is an asset in the World Championships, where the result must be scored with the first three throws.
– Oliver showed that there is enough power and we are in good shape. This was a very good race, especially when you consider that in the World Championships there are two times three throws that you need to get a good result. He has all the prerequisites to throw much further, says Ingberg.
Kuusela’s spear was not able to get air under it
Toni Kuusela’s race had a difficult start, and before the fifth round he had only one result, 73.53 in the first round. On the fifth attempt, Kuusela got the javelin in a good position, and the improvement was ten meters.
Kuusela cast his first throws of the race in his tough-talking style.
– It was like Kaleva’s competitions in general. To hell we go. When there is a place to throw, we throw at something, Kuusela described.
– I can say that it hasn’t been the easiest weekend for me. I have certain issues right now that are weighing on me. I don’t idolize those 70-meter ones, Kuusela continued and added that he does not suffer from any serious injury.
Kuusela was able to flash with a three-pointer, which is of course a good thing. According to Ingberg, the same problem was repeated in Kuusela’s other throws.
– Many times the whole stroke goes really low, so he doesn’t get lift for the throw. The spear cannot get air under it. In the 83-meter throw, the hand went higher and the javelin went into a good position, says Ingberg.
Kuusela has a chance to reach the points in the World Championships in Budapest, but consistency should be found in a few weeks in order to open up a place in the World Championship finals and its last three rounds.
– Admittedly, it’s a bit challenging because he has a very wide accordion. More than ten meters between a good and a weaker throw. In the World Cup qualification, it is the first place of pressure. You can’t afford to get that throw there, but you should make it work right from the start.
Taneli Juutinen’s first SC medal of his career, bronze, with a result of 78.98 was no longer a surprise, as the thrower from Kuopio Reippaa broke his record of 82.85 a week ago. However, Juutinen has no interest in the World Championships, because his ranking points are not enough to be eligible for selection.
Etelätalo needs a few more weeks
Lassi Etelätalo returned to competitions after a break of almost two months. Suffering from a heel and buttock injury earlier in the summer, Etelätalo took a cautious approach in the qualifiers and even at the beginning of the finals. Fourth place came with a throw of 78.96.
Fortunately for Etelätalo, there is still plenty of time for the javelin qualification for the World Championships, Ingberg reminds.
– I hope that after this competition, there will be no problems that would prevent optimal preparation for the World Championships. In this sport, you can’t do many throwing practices per week and you have to play with how your body feels all the time, says Ingberg.
Etelätalo broke the WC limit of 85.20 with his EC bronze throw last summer, which carried 86.44. In Sunday’s return race, the record readings were still far away.
– In throwing, the end of the speed has to be improved. Now it remained cautious. Although he is a tall man and has a big span, it is a bit challenging to leave with just a hand pull. At today’s pace, he had really good throws, says Ingberg.
Varamies-Keränen has a tough fate
Helander, Kuusela and Etelätalo are the clear choices for the World Championships, but the Finnish Sports Federation cannot make decisions regarding the alternates until Wednesday, when the International Association of Athletics Federations updates the athletes’ scores to the World Championships ranking.
Topias Laine and Toni Keränen were barely outside the ranking before the Kaleva Games final. Substitutes must also be within the ranking so that they can be named to the team.
Laine was fifth in the race with a result of 78.22. As a result, his ranking point average for his top five races improves slightly. Whether or not Laine will catch a place in the ranking depends on how the rest of the world has been thrown over the weekend.
At the end, Toni Keränen threw near the 80-meter line, but stepped over. If accepted, the throw would have brought the bronze medal and increased Keränen’s ranking points. Now Keränen’s fate was sixth place with a score of 75.00.
– Keränen would definitely have needed that last throw. It would have been extremely important from a ranking point of view. Now it can happen that his points are not enough in the ranking, Ingberg regretted.
World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary 19-27 August. shows the races on its channels.