LAHTI. When the shot put championship medals are handed out at the Lahti stadium on a rainy Friday evening, a satisfied man stands on the platform of the grandstand block A2.
– Can I watch the award ceremony? Let’s get back to the topic after that, the bearded man asks politely.
The person in question is an Olympic shot put winner, currently living in the Tampere region Arsi Harju. At the award ceremony that comes right after, Harju applauds equally for each medallist.
Standing on the highest podium, winning his first adult Finnish championship Nico Oksanen however, stands out from the trio.
The Tilastopaja service, known as the track and field bible, lists the coaches of every top Finnish track and field athlete on its Finnish pages, including Oksanen. In his case, the page says that since 2022, “pseudonym Flash Gordon” has taken care of the laundry.
– Let’s say I’m trying to help. Coach is a very powerful title. At least I feel that way myself, says Harju.
However, two athletics insiders confirm that Harju is behind the pseudonym.
One step at a time
When Lahti hosted the Kaleva Games in August 2000, Harju himself stood on the highest podium. At that time, gold came off with a result of 20.84. Oksanen’s winning score of 18.74 this year would have been enough instead of sixth.
– We were a good group. What (Cheap) and a group 4–5 years older pulled, and our sakki, more or less the same age group, came after, Harju, born in 1974, recalls.
At the beginning of his career, Harju relied on packaging technology, but at the age of 22 he switched to spinning. The very next year, he won his first Finnish championship with a result of 19.46.
Oksanen got to taste SM gold in his second year of rotation. The last ball of the series would have been over 19 meters, but the push was overstepped.
– You have to go one piece at a time. Nico got close to 19 today and with the last step over it.
Behind the branch went the silver To Eero Ahola with a result of 18.33 and bronze Arttu Korkeasalo 17.97 with a push that carried. Although the level of results in Finnish shot put is modest compared to the beginning of the millennium, Harju does not want to be gloomy.
– Arttu already pushed more than 19 meters in the hall, and Eerokin showed today in the last laps that there is room for it. One piece at a time.
Harju still underlines that in elite sports, the comparison is first with the top of Europe and ultimately the top of the world. This season, the top 10 in the world can be reached so far with a result of 21.81. In Europe, 21.10 is required to be in the top ten.
– If you compare the results to the rest of the world – and that is what is done in elite sports – the situation is not good. It can be said no matter how badly that here and there it is pushed this far. Why don’t you push? But yes, the guys are coming.
– Last year, the winner of the Kaleva Games pushed 18.06. The level has risen since then. Guys aren’t stupid. They know they are far behind. In what time frame is the increase possible? Hard to say. Healthy years are needed, reminds Harju, who pushed 21.10 three times in his career.
From love to sport
After his active career, 49-year-old Harju has coached the six-time Finnish champion in women’s shot put Suvi Heliniabut otherwise he has rarely appeared in public.
Despite his quiet life, Harju says that he still feels a burning passion for shot put.
– Why would that sport go from the heart? What I do with the sport is my own business. From love to sport.
Although Harju agrees to give an interview in the aftermath of his protégé’s victory, the Olympic winner states at the end of the interview that he does not agree to be photographed “under any name”.
– Well, when it’s so damn ugly, Harju concludes.
The Kaleva Games in Lahti 27.–30.7. Urheilu follows the events in this article. On Saturday, the broadcast of Puhe starts at 15:45, the broadcast of TV2 and Areena at 17:25.