Jere Haapalainen ran in the 400 meter hurdles as the surprise champion of the Kaleva Games. He even fights for gold in the European Championships of his age group.
Joel Sippola,
Nina Old house
The Kaleva Games in Lahti 27.–30.7. Urheilu follows the events in this article.
– I feel that he will be heard in the future. A very potential athlete.
This is how the Urheilu expert put it Jaakko Ojaniemi the birthday hero who ran to a surprise championship in the men’s 400-meter hurdles Jere from Haapalai. The fencing talent, who turned 19 today, swept Lieto Parma, who had won the three previous SM golds, in the final straight Tuomas Lehtonen past.
Haapalainen, who is in great shape, representing Tampere Pyrintö, captured a new Finnish youth record time of 50.06. He improved his previous youth SE time by 17 hundredths last week.
– It feels incredibly sweet. I knew it required a button performance. I was able to do it. I’m grateful for that, happy Haapalainen referred to his first victory at the Kaleva Games.
Silver medalist Lehtonen, 24, also ran his new record of 50.20. Pyrinnö’s Jaakko Linnus won bronze with a time of 51.42.
As a medal favorite for the European Youth Championships
The young athlete from Pyrinnö in Tampere has improved his hurdles record this summer by running. Even last summer it was 52.78, while now it is already 50.06.
– Before the season, I would have been surprised if someone said that I would pull under 50 seconds, Haapalainen sneered, but added that it is now possible.
Haapalainen is handsomely second in the European statistics for under-20s from Serbia Nikola Kostic (49.77) after. Finland has a strong representation in the age group, because Haapalainen’s teammate Antti Sainio is fourth with a time of 50.69.
The age-group youth European Championships will be held in Jerusalem, Israel, in just over a week.
Haapalainen can break 50 seconds already this summer.
– Of course it can be lower. Those are the times when you have to pull really well.
Oskari Mörön The Finnish record for the 400-meter hurdles was 49.04 in 2016. Haapalainen moved past Lehtonen to tenth place in Finland’s overall statistics.
Lehikoinen is in a class of its own
HIFK’s women’s 400-meter hurdles Viivi Lehikoinen won the Kaleva Games in a record time of 54.95. Lehikoinen has run SE time 54.40 this summer.
For Hope, he tightened the season in the best way Hilla Uusimäki (56,62) and the bronze went To Kristiina Halonen (57.01).
Gentlemen:
1. Jere Haapalainen 50.06 PB
2. Tuomas Lehtonen 50.20 PB
3. Jaakko Linnus 51.42
4. Rasmus Wright 52.21 PB
5. Kalle Kompuinen 52.90
6. Iiro Surkka 54.33
7. Tomi Laakso 54.67
8. Samuli Raikunen 55.09
Ladies:
1. Viivi Lehikoinen 54.95
2. Hilla Uusimäki 56.62 SB
3. Kristiina Halonen 57.01
4. Aada Aho 57.97
5. Martta Rautala 58.66 PB
6. Vilma Väliharju 59.56 PB
7. Mathilda Kvist 59.59
Heidi Salminen’s dns
The Kaleva Games in Lahti 27.–30.7. Urheilu follows the events in this article.