A new generation of rowing women is making its debut. Vilma Mäki and Saara Keskitalo may already this summer run the 100 meter hurdles in the 12s.
Clear boundaries have been built into athletics. Followers of the sport know that if a man throws a javelin more than 80 meters, he is a very good thrower. But if the throw exceeds the 90-meter mark, it is already a world-class thrower.
Limits are usually even numbers, such as thirteen seconds in high-speed fences.
Thirteen seconds was too hard for Finnish women for a long time. But a little less than 10 years ago Nooralotta Neziri stopped the clocks in Kuopio at 12.98 and the magic was broken.
Since then, they have also done the same trick Annimari Korte, Reetta Hurske and Lotta Harala. Now we wait to see who will be next.
The most potential candidates are the younger runners Saara Keskitalo and Vilma Mäki. The record for both speed hurdles is currently exactly the same 13.10 and they are tied for seventh place in Finland’s all-time statistics.
– Saara and Vilma are the next under thirteen seconds in Finland, believes the sprint and hurdles coach guru Mikael Ylöstalo.
The Finnish record for the trip is held by European indoor track champion Reetta Hurske with a time of 12.70.
Keskitalo’s season has been challenging
Saara Keskitalo, 23, ran her 100-meter hurdles record of 13.10 last summer. He also has value competition experience in youth leagues. At his best, he has reached the semi-finals both at the World Youth Championships in Tampere and at the European Championships for under-23s in Tallinn. He has one silver and two bronze medals from the Kaleva Games.
Keskitalo ran his season’s best 13.31 on Friday in the preliminaries of the Lahti GP Games.
– It felt like there was a lot left to improve, states Keskitalo, representing Espoo’s Tapioi.
Until the beginning of February, Keskitalo’s training season went very well, but then he suffered a hamstring injury. When the hamstring was fixed, a fever hit the body. He went to the spring camp in Tenerife a little half fit.
– The spring training season has been challenging. Just the fact that I’m here competing like this from the beginning of the season is a big win, says Keskitalo.
One of the runner’s goals is to break the 13-second mark in a short fence distance.
– Without a doubt, the goal this summer is to improve the record. You have to remember that this is only the beginning of summer, says Keskitalo.
For a couple of years now, Keskitalo has been coached by Mikael Ylöstalo, an expert in Finnish sprinting and fencing technology, who himself is a former top fencer.
– I could see that Saara has snacks of less than thirteen seconds, analyzes Ylöstalo.
Keskitalo was born in China, from where he was adopted to Finland.
– When I was less than a year old, I came and lived in Jyväskylä for a long time. I have now stayed in Helsinki.
Keskitalo started playing athletics at the age of 10. Before that he played football. In addition to hurdles, he has also achieved good results on smooth distances and long jump. The 100 meter record is 11.86.
– Speed is natural, but there is still a lot to be done on the technical side.
He also knows his competition partner Vilma Mäki.
– We have been seen at the games and have been part of the national team designs to some extent.
An unyielding Southern Pohlian
Vilma Mäki, 22, represents the Alavuten Athletes at the club level. He improved last summer’s record of 13.39 in the Jyväskylä GP race last week. The record is now 13.10. How the hell is that possible?
– I’ve stayed healthy and my features have progressed, that’s what it’s all about, says Mäki.
In previous years, Mäki has had problems with his feet.
– They have now been searched, and they haven’t bothered.
Mäke is also coached by a former top swimmer. Coach Antti Haapakoski once won the youth world championship and the European championship in the 110-meter hurdles.
He has coached Mäki for a year now and the results show that it works.
Mäki won the first adult SM medal of his career last winter in the indoor games. He was bronze in the 60m hurdles. Aituri works in Kuortane.
– I have worked in the restaurants of Kuortanene Sports College.
Mäki started hurdles when he was 9 years old. The long jump was also included for a long time.
– Pretty much when I went to high school, it was just hurdles.
In high-speed fences, Mäki is good at keeping the pace until the end. He also strongly believes in sub-thirteen seconds.
– Yes, you can say that. However, that 13.10 was not a sprint. Yes, there is still room for improvement. If it goes well, under 13 is possible.
Vilma Mäki is from South Ostrobothnia.
– Unyieldingness is one of my strengths, laughs Mäki and nods approvingly with a smile on his lips to the strong word describing the journalist’s bottomness.