Pre-favorites Julian Weber and Jakub Vadlejch and were as expected tough. Weber took gold with a score of 87.66. Finland’s second spearman, Toni Kuusela, was fifth.
Anu Karttunen,
SpongeBob Forsberg
21.8. 22:02•Updated 0:36
Lassi Etelätalo has achieved European Championship bronze in the javelin throw with a throw of 86.44 meters. The bronze result is a new record for Etelätalo.
Advance favorites Germany Julian Weber (87.66) and the Czech Republic Jakub Vadlejch (87,28) took the brightest medals.
Czech hero Vitezslav Vesely got past Etelätalo for a while, but the Finn regained the third place with his throw of the fifth round, with which he significantly improved his record of 84.98 set in 2014.
The EC bronze is the first competition medal of the experienced Etelätalo, 34.
Behind Vadlejch and Weber, it was expected to be even, and the European javelin level has not been at its strongest this summer. Viiva was also missing several top names from recent years, such as Johannes Vetter and Magnus Kirt, who have suffered from problems. Etelätalo hit this seam.
Matti Järvinen: two golds 1934–1938
Yrjö Nikkanen: two silvers 1938–1946
Toivo Hyytiäinen: one gold 1950
Hannu Siitonen: one gold 1974
Seppo Räty: one silver in 1994
Ari Mannio: one bronze 2012
Antti Ruuskanen: one gold, one bronze 2014–2016
Tero Pitkämäki: one silver, two bronze 2006–2014
Lassi Etelätalo: one bronze in 2022
Vesely upset Etelätalo just in time for a medal: “I didn’t lose this time”
Etelätalo enjoyed his lap of honor at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, when he finally achieved the prize medal he had been longing for.
It didn’t come easy, as the Czech power thrower Vitezslav Vesely managed to wedge ahead of Etelätalo in the fifth round.
– “Fläsärs” came from the last European Championships, where I was. Vesely passed then, Etelätalo recalled the 2014 European Championships in Zurich, when he had to settle for fourth place.
– I didn’t lose this time. I got the record I’ve been craving for a long time, it feels so good too.
Etelätalo was close to the medal from the opening round with a result of 81.84, until Vesely passed in the fifth round with his jump of 84.36 meters.
According to Etelätalo, it was no accident that he caught fire from Vesely’s long throw. The thrower from Joensuu Kataja managed to answer the check with his next throw with his record of 86.44.
– Maybe no one else would have been so annoyed when you pass at that stage of the race. I just refused to lose this time.
Etelätalo thought that 86 meters would be enough for a medal, but he still wanted to try for the gold medal at the end.
– I tried to pull myself together, because the gold was not far away and a risk throw would have had a small chance of it. I had to try even the last full one, he stated about his overstepped throw.
“I hope the pump has lasted in Leksa”
At the end of the interview, Etelätalo sent greetings to his coach of many years Leo Pusawho had a heart attack last spring.
– I hope the pump has lasted in Leksa, and Ulla also! Tomorrow we will come home, see you then!
Etelätalo is used to stretching in a hard place. In 2014, he finished fourth at the European Championships in Zurich. At the World Championships in Doha 2019, Etelätalo was the best Finnish athlete of the Games in fourth place. Etelätalo was eighth at the Tokyo Olympics and sixth at the World Championships in Oregon.
Etelätalo has made part of its long career prize competition medalists Tero Pitkämäki and Antti Ruuskanen in the shade. Now he rises among them.
Toni Kuusela finished fifth in the final with a score of 80.20.