Annimari Korte, a fast-tracker who wrestled with back pain last summer, says that his health is now good. The goal of the Finnish record woman is not only to improve her SE time but also to play sports healthy throughout the summer.
Emma Hyyppä,
Hinni Hirvonen
A Finnish record woman of quick fences Annimari With a card there are several goals for the summer of two value-added athletics, but one of them is a prerequisite for tough results: the body needs to withstand tough competition from late May to early September.
Considering the background of the card, the goal has not been captured by the wind.
– I have never been healthy until the end of the whole race. Now the whole year has been trained so that I could once and for all make the whole race healthy and strong enough for it. The goal is to be able to run through all the competitions without any problems, Korte says in Helsinki.
Korte, who turns 34 on Friday, moved to the top Dutch name in November last year, Bart Benneman coaching. Bennema has coached, among other things Dafne Schippersin from an all-rounder to a 200-meter European Championship and World Championship winner as well Nadine Visserin In the 100-meter hurdles to the international top.
Korte, who has been following Bennema’s training program since the end of November, says that the cooperation has gone well. Bennema stated at the outset that Korte needs more flesh and elasticity.
– It seems that the training program suits me really well. I have been really pleased. I have already fulfilled all the goals that the coach has set in the exercises. More power has come. There have been records in jumping and speed tests, so clearly there has been more resilience, Korte says.
Korte ran the Finnish record of 12.72 in July 2019. Even after that, he has run hard times, but injury worries have taken away the best blade that would be required to run a new record.
Last summer, Korte ran 12.91 at best. The Tokyo Olympics ended in disappointment and the opening rounds. The hind leg injury, which had plagued Kortti for a long time, was repaired with surgery.
– The health situation is really good now. The hind legs are stronger than before and there are no other bigger problems. There are always some pains for an athlete, but they are little things alongside big injuries, Korte laughs.
Even an EM medal is possible
Kortte’s summer plans are to participate in both the World Championships in Oregon in the United States and the European Championships in Munich, Germany. The result limit for the World Championships is 12.84 and for the European Championships 12.93. Korte has not yet broken them since the results window opened last summer.
Korte plans to start his summer competition season at the Lahti GP on May 25. Screenings for the World Cup must be given by June 26, so the first month of the summer race season is important. In addition to the performance limits, the selection system for the European Championships and World Championships consists of the rankings of the International Federation of Athletics.
– The coach has said that the European Championships are the main goal. Of course, I want to join the World Championships, but there is a realistic chance of success at the European Championships, Korte says.
Last November, Korte estimates that a time of up to 12.5 will be realistic for him if recovery from the hindquarters operation goes according to plan.
– The goal is to run my own record and hopefully below 12.7. Even though I’ve set training records, I just need to get the hurdles running. It has been the hardest thing to dare to trust the hind leg again, Korte says now.
For the card, success in the European Championships could even mean a medal. For example, in its record period of 2019, Korttee’s SE result of 12.72 was sufficient instead of the third in European seasonal statistics. At the previous European Championships 2018 in Belarus Elvira Herman won the gold with a time of 12.67.
As the International Federation of Athletics has ruled out Russia and Belarus from international competition due to the war in Ukraine, Herman’s participation in the summer championships is at stake.
The domestic hurdles summer is becoming fast-paced
One of the favorites for the Munich European Championships is Kortte’s Dutch teammate, who has run the top of European statistics in the previous three seasons. Nadine Visser. Visser clocked the Dutch record at 12.51 last season.
Visser, who finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympic final, has been training with Kortte during the winter at a South African camp, among other places.
Although the Finnish star relies on international coaching skills and a training club, he has also had time to follow the actions of his domestic competitors. Especially Reetta Hurskeen Korte was delighted with the great reign.
Hurske ran his outdoor track record of 12.78, the domestic all-time second time, in the same race as Korte SE.
– Reeta had had a couple of harder seasons behind that and finally he got to a new level in the hall. In 2019, he was an amazing starter outside, and he hasn’t had that potential brought to the race since, but now it was visible, Korte rejoices.
The Finnish hard hurdle trio is completed by the fourth in the European Championships a year ago Nooralotta Neziri, who has recovered from last summer ‘s injury. Korte is confident that fence summer will be fast-paced.
– I expect we’re all in great shape. Personally, I think I can run records, Reetta will definitely be able to run records. Nooralotta ran records a year ago and apparently trained healthy. Certainly there will be good results too, Korte says.