Samuel Purola has set a Finnish record in 200 meters. Purola wants to reach the finals at the European Championships in August.
17.7.•Updated 17.7.
Samuel Purola, 22, has run the Finnish record for 200 meters. Purola clocked 20.45 at the Nordic and Baltic youth championships in Sweden. The Sports Federation of Finland informs about the matter.
The run had a record wind reading of +1.7 m/s. Purola’s previous record was 20.74.
– It feels good. This has been a goal for a long time. Today the conditions were top class. My bet was the best thing ever. All the stars were aligned, Purola told Urheilu on the phone.
Purola had been chasing SE for a long time.
– The long-awaited success finally came. It came as a bit of a surprise that it went so hard. It’s really hard to say how much this can be improved in the future.
The time remains two hundredths of the EC limit. Purola is still on the way to the Munich Games in August based on the ranking.
– In that time, you can even get a place in the final. It would be a great experience to reach the finals of the prize competition. I have to aim for a place in the finals at the European Championship, Purola mumbles.
400 meters opened the places
Purola broke the Finnish record, which was more than 20 years ago Tommi Hartonen in names 20.47. Hartonen ran his record at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
Yesterday, Saturday, Purola ran second in the 400 meters in his side event at the same games with a record time of 47.15.
– It was intended to open places. 400 meters gives a different stimulus to the nervous system and it brought relaxation to my run today.
Finland’s sprinters have been under a lot of pressure lately. Earlier in July Samuli Samuelsson broke Hartonen’s 100m SE by running 10.16.
– We can talk about the fastest running years of all time in Finland. We have pushed each other very hard. We talk with other sprinters every day, Purola says.
Story updated on 7/17/2022 at 3:37 p.m.: added Purola’s comments.