Amanda Kotaja won the women’s 200 meters in the traditional reeling race in Nottwil, Switzerland.
The Finns won two gold medals and two silver medals in the biggest annual wheelchair races competition in Nottwil, Switzerland.
In class 54 Amanda Kotaja won the women ‘s 200 meters and improved his own seven – year – old Finnish record by almost 28.25 seconds. Kotaja’s time is also the top result in the world this year and is only 0.08 seconds left by the Swiss Manuela Schaerin European record.
– Really good feelings. I could expect something along these lines, as the whole training season has been intact. 100 meters is still my main sport. Fitness and pace endurance have increased due to the intact training season, and probably that is why 200 meters now went so well, Kotaja rejoiced in the Sports Association’s press release.
– No significant changes have been made to the exercise program. The winding position and the winding sticks are still the same. There has been a small tweak in the program to balance the body even better, Kotaja said.
20-year-old Sini Paukkeri placed ninth in the competition won by Kotaja. He improved his record by a second second at 31.69.
Kotaja, 27, was in the Tokyo Paralympics for the first time last summer with medals coming in silver from 100 meters. At the World Championships, he has once won a gold medal of 200 meters and twice a gold medal of 100 meters.
– It’s good that there are new young women athletes. I am genuinely a little worried about the future of our sport at the top and I try to be as approachable as possible to all girls interested in sports with disabilities. Of course, visibility work is needed, especially from the association and in the media, Kotaja said in a press release.
The bishop was first rejected, but the rejection was revoked
In the men’s class, 51 world record men Toni Piispanen reeled victory over his Belgian challenger by 200 meters Roger Habschista at a time of 37.11. The time of the bishop is the top result in the world this year. The ME in his name is 36.35.
– I was surprised by the rejection. However, it was a basic set. We rewind every other track and when rewinding straight, the tire must be on the adjacent track and there is no need to worry about the track line, Piispanen said.
The bishop reiterated that the start and the curve went smoothly.
– At 150 meters I started to twist the little one to the left and I let it cross the line, because the empty track next to it does not disturb the competitor.
The star reeled second after the British Maguire
Paralympic winner Leo-Pekka Star reeled second in class 54 with a time of 24.90. Stars 14 years younger British Nathan Maguire won with a time of 24.67. Finland’s record for the star’s 200 meters in 2018 is 24.40.
Esa-Pekka Mattila raced for the fifth race in the same race to a stellar second, losing 25.98.
In class 34 Henry Manni ranked second on the same trip as a Tunisian ME man Walid Ktilan after, but well ahead of other competitors. Mann’s time was 27.67. His Finnish record is 27.16.