Three out of four of the Finnish heroes of last summer’s EC-Munich are more or less in the yard. They have a very good peer group in recent history, writes journalist Pekka Holopainen.
Pekka Holopainen Sports journalist
Urheilu followed the events of the Kaleva Games moment by moment in this article.
Javelin thrower Ari Mannion now deceased coach father Tapio Mannio burned like a wooden church when giving comments to the undersigned about his son’s treatment after the Vaasa Kaleva Games in 2013.
Mannio was excluded from the Moscow World Cup team Teemu Wirkkalan out of the way in a tight choice situation. Tapio Mannio did not give the Sports Association the so-called statesman treatment.
Ten years after this fiery opening, we are in such a special situation in the history of men’s javelin throwing that there are only three eligible throwers: at the World Championships in Budapest, the Oliver Helander and Toni Kuusela and last year crowned his career with EC bronze Lassi Etelätalo.
A great value race athlete
The amazing race athlete still had to dig out one more rabbit from his magician’s hat, because when the screening time ran out, Etelätalo was exhausted by the proof of health and performance required by the selection system. In the final competition in Lahti, he gave one on Sunday, with a little twitch of the bar.
Of course, the Sports Confederation has nothing to lose by naming Etelätalo’s man to the sixth prestigious championships for adults on Wednesday. Etelätalo will not displace anyone from the team, and the condition is certainly on the rise before the World Cup qualifiers on August 26. In his case, this lottery is worth redeeming.
Ari Mannio, mentioned above, was Finland’s only medalist at the EC home games in 2012. A year later, there was no place for him in the WC team. Some strange EC curse haunts the Finnish successes of the old continent.
About last summer’s Munich heroes Top Raitanen, Kristina Hilly and Etelätalo have, each for their own reasons, been more or less sidelined this season. At their peak level last season, the last two mentioned would even be on the side of the World Cup medal level.
By the way, there is only one athlete among the top 12 in the women’s triple jump season statistics who could compete at all at the European Championships.
Read also: When Topi Raitanen got tired, the coach took action – the mandatory national team competition was the last nail in the overwork state
No obstacle course
The trio is in good company. Jukka Keskisalo after his sensational EC gold, was not able to compete on his main trip in 2007 even once. Another champion Olli Pekka Karelian wore tracksuits in the WC finals in Osaka after three throws.
Achieved the only Finnish medal in Barcelona 2010 Tero Pitkämäki plunged to such a high in 2011 that the whole career was on the trigger. In Amsterdam 2016, the only Finnish medalist was Antti Ruuskanen – who did not compete once in the 2017 season.
In athletics, there are plenty of sports in which the only realistic glory for a Finn can be found in the national championships. Blowing out after success is human, but it is difficult to come up with a common denominator for this phenomenon.
Minus 120,000 euros
Lahti is the sports capital of Finland. The experienced value competition rollers of Lahti Ahkera organized their competition with the factory’s guarantee, and visually, a considerable financial result is falling below the line.
The respective organizer starts from the situation minus 120,000 euros. It is the Sports Association’s threshold money for the right to organize.
In athletics, traditional gate ticket sales are still very important. Fortunately for the people of Lahti, the main stand was sold out in advance for Saturday. In the weather lottery, the organizers got a no-win coupon.
There was plenty of talk in Lahti about running and jumping directions and air currents – on and off topic. There is enough perspective on changing running directions in the community.
For the 1983 Lahti Games, broadcast and timing equipment was rented from Kouvola for 6,000 marks, and the main straight of the stadium was exceptionally stretched from the direction of the ski jumps towards the city center, downwind.
The Finnish sports establishment didn’t swallow the excitement without munching, but that’s all Hläna to Marjamaa 11.13 is the Finnish record still 40 years and a week and a half later.
World Athletics Championships in Budapest 19.–27. August. shows the races on its channels.