Topi Raitanen watches the Sweden match from the stands. The recent European champion says that Jukka Keskisalo SE would have possibly been in the fork in the fall.
Kalle Pallonen,
Joel Holm
3,000-meter steeplechase European champion Top Raitanen got sick with corona after the European Championships. Due to illness, Raitanen will be watching the match against Sweden in Helsinki this weekend from the stands.
– It would have been very nice if the Swedish match had been announced in the introduction as “European champion Topi Raitanen”, the hurdler laughs in an interview with .
– It would have been great to be able to thank the Finnish athletics people for all the encouragement we received at the European Championships, the runner continues.
The doctor did not give Raitase permission to participate in the Sweden match. In Raitanen’s voice, you can hear the disease he is suffering from.
– Recovery starts with a walk. Feeling is getting better all the time. Still a bit of a rumble in the lungs. It was a high of 39 degrees, it was not a mild form of the disease, Raitanen says.
“It would have been close”
Raitanen was able to aim for the European Championships in Germany in top condition. It brought the European championship with a time of 8:21.80. The beginning was slow, at the end Raitanen showed his flag and washed the whole group.
Raitanen’s big goal is Jukka Keskisalon Finnish record for 3,000 meters hurdles 8.10.67. Keskisalo ran SE in 2009.
Raitanen’s record is six seconds weaker from 2020. Would a top-fit Raitanen be in SE condition in the fall without getting sick?
– It would have been close already. I don’t know how close. I’ve been in such a condition that THAT would have been possible.
– Before my career ends, I must have the Finnish record, Raitanen says with determination.
The next time Raitanen will be seen on the line is in October in Vantaa. Then it’s 10 kilometers on the highway. After that, hard winter training begins.
– We will go through the winter with the same formula as before. It takes several months in the mountains. I would like to run a hard time next season right at the beginning of the season.
Raitanen has lived in Jyväskylä since 2016. Rantaraitti, which goes around Lake Jyväsjärvi, is Raitanen’s training ground.
The European champion can often be seen jogging.
– I have the same schedules as many other joggers and walkers. Yes, there are already many people there, Raitanen says.
Watch the final moments of Topi Raitanen’s EC winning run below.