Iivo Niskanen passed Mikko Kauppinen in the Cooper test run in his title arena. The result of the 12-minute running test was 4130 meters. Niskanen has consciously taken it easy after the Olympic season.
Roope Visuri,
Riku Porvari,
Tapio Räihä
Iivo Niskanen ran 4,130 meters in 12 minutes at the inauguration of his title arena in Vieremä on Friday. The three-time cross-country Olympic champion recalled the last time he seriously ran Cooper’s test in the seventh or eighth grade.
– Even in the army, it became commonplace. Here, generating speed is a bit of a problem. I thought I can’t leave the race until the end, when Mikko (Merchant) was wearing spikes. He has made a good result in age group competitions, Niskanen commented after the run.
In the winter, Kauppinen won indoor championship gold in the 3,000 meters and bronze in the 800 meters in the 19-year-old category. In May, the 19-year-olds won gold in the six-kilometer race at the World Championships.
Kauppinen narrowly beat Niskanen in the Iivo arena. In the final moments, Niskanen came up short of the promise that had bubbled up with his results. However, Kauppinen also recorded a tough result, 4,120 meters. Combined athlete Ilkka Herola, who was also competing with Niskanen and Kauppinen, registered a result of 3,750 meters.
Niskanen revealed that he went to prepare in advance for Cooper’s test.
– Last week I had to go running on the track a few times to get my legs awake. Running uphill would probably be easier in terms of features and would get cramped, Niskanen, who gave an interview after the test relatively fresh, revealed.
Niskanen could not say how much Cooper’s test would lose with big bets.
– I do not know. In Beijing (at the Olympics), perhaps being six kilos lighter, the heart rates were much lower on the mat than at the moment, Niskanen stated.
Watch Iivo Niskanen’s feelings about summer in the video below.
Enthusiastic about horse racing, Niskanen also competes at the Vieremä racetrack on Friday evening. He talks about his expectations with a smile.
– We have the (horse) Bismark Comery, owned by the ski team, at the start for the first time. Plus there’s this Vidgren’s Juhan the horse I bred, with which I opened the race.
Niskanen completed his trotting instructor card in May. At Midsummer, he competed for the first time as a trotting instructor. Niskanen has already experienced the charm of speed.
– A speed of 50-60 kilometers per hour feels much harder than a speed of 70 kilometers per hour on roller skis. The force is transmitted between the branches. The pace feels hard, Niskanen describes his feelings.
Niskanen describes the trot control as “so much exciting work” that he believes Friday’s first run will be to get a feel for it.
– I hope I would get a better place at Bismark. Otherwise, there may be fierce feedback from classmates in the WhatsApp group. To Pertu (Nice one) Greetings to Austria. “Rise” (Cross mat Hakola) and the other boys are probably at home, Niskanen laughs.
Niskanen has been training in his home country in the summer, mainly roller skiing. One camp behind the national team in Vuokatti is already behind. In August, there is a three-week high camp in Italy. After a tough Olympic season, he deliberately took it easy to start the new season.
– I started driving with slightly lower power. In May, I took it a little easier and took the trot card. I’m still not in the shape I usually am in July. With good motivation and healthy positions, you can then build an upbeat autumn. Complete camps and then we will start the competition season in good shape in November, says Niskanen.
He doesn’t draw any more conclusions about his condition from Cooper’s test result of the day.
– Two years ago I tried to run more and focus on getting good times. Then suffered the results during the ski season. In that sense, it doesn’t go directly one to the other, at least not by yourself. This summer, it’s best to do the hardest training according to the sport. At least last season it worked better than in the 2020–2021 season, Niskanen states.
The goals for the upcoming skiing season are certainly bright for the three-time Olympic champion.
– The big goal is, of course, the traditional 50 kilometers at the World Championships in Planica. Time has passed with the same template as last year. From July onwards, we aim to do a lot of high-quality work, says Niskanen about his preparation.
Herola focused on the hill section
Mr. Herola says that he practiced ski jumping during the summer season. According to him, the hill section has been weaker than the skiing section in recent years.
– I’m not switching to ski jumping, Herola laughs when asked about it.
He says that the endurance side has been at a sufficient level for the demands of the sport, there is “a little room for compromise”.
– The World Championships in Planica is of course the main goal, where we go to brighten up the (silver) medal in Obersdorf. Let’s try to find the missing second and a half somewhere, where that soul got caught, Herola said.
Watch Ilkka Herola’s mood about the upcoming season in the video below.