Pekka Koskela Keeps an achievement that must be proud of, but at the same time does not bother the current state of Finnish top-level sports. Seven years ago, a speed skater who has finished his career is still the latest Finnish athlete, who has set a world record in the Olympic sport, unless para -sports are counted.
That is, an official record that can be clocked or measurable. In November 2007, Koskela skated at Salt Lake City with a speed skating of 1,000 meters ME 1.07.00.
Seinäjokinen held a record for almost 16 months, and to this day the ME time has been improved by five times. Now it’s a US Superstar in its twenties Jordan Stolzin possession (1.05,37).
In his career, Koskela, who has achieved five championship medals and 14 World Cup wins, raises the performance of his career more than 17 years ago.
– Of course it goes to the top. It was still such a magical and round number. It felt so far away that no one in our sport was pulling so hard. Of course, we have gone harder now. Everything has evolved, Koskela mirrors to the present day.
Not perfect
One might think that the Me-draw is always the kind of performance that feels perfect. This was not the case in the case of Koskela because his skate blade would touch the skate side To Denny Morrison.
The Canadian rhythm broke up in interruption, but the Ostrobothnian was ever able to skate the toughest skating so far.
– I got one, even though there was something loose in the bet. This is an absolute physics. Hard condition did not stay out of the way because of one little thing.
While Finnish sports success has faded over the last 20 years, Koskela and, for example, swimming legend Jani Sievinen MEs like me are just distant memories. Of Finnish athletes, pole vaulting Wilma Murro (471) and sledgehammer Silja Kosonen Young people (73.43) are in control, but they have a lot of traveling to the same reputation in adults.
As you listen to Koskela, who is passionate about top-level sports, the world records of adults will not continue to play Finnish athletes. No if there is no collective filing in Finnish top sports.
Being alone is not enough
Koskela, 42, who has competed in four Olympics, says that Finnish top sports are sailing in the wind. The Paris Summer Olympics are known to be remembered in Finnish for a medal -free race. Incompatibility and a shortage of plausible international Finnish peaks, in general, sparked lively debate.
The role and impact of the Olympic Committee, including the top athletic organization, has been questioned. The Olympic Committee also wants to be promoting folk exercise, but many sports influencers think that all the focus should be in supporting Finnish top sports.
Koskela believes that success in Finland is sometimes too difficult to succeed. He does not just talk about money, but sees that, for example, scholarships issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture do not just turn the athletes better.
– The bet is generally low. When the conditions for success are stripped, then can we demand more?
So Koskela needs a better attitude from Finnish society to top sports. He sees that it must run downwards from the ministry.
– We often go to whether we have a type in Finland that can do it and whether it has it. Even the Olympic Committee must have such a feeling. Even the lions don’t just play there. There is a clear world of values to proceed.
According to the former speed skating star, Finland often emphasizes the spirit of participation.
– It is said that you have to be with the best athletes and coaches in the best places. However, it is the athlete’s responsibility whether something is taken out of those situations. Just being there is not the thing. The eyes must be kept open, Koskela advises.
Understanding Niskanen’s excitement
Koskela has noticed that the failure of Finnish athletes is explained by the exceptional nature of international competitors.
– Let’s say someone is so good. Sidney Crosby There is that and this. Armand Duplantis is talented and congenital fast.
– There are good excuses again. Next, the reasons are that Duplantis has jumped since the little boy, Koskela says.
The former ME man wants Finland to continue to become the winners of the big race and the top scorers. He recalls that such athletes must be able to make selfish decisions.
Cross -country skier Iivo Niskanen is the best example of a Finnish athlete who hates losing. In Finland, a huge uproar rose in the other winter as the Finnish ski king threw his rods in the Ruka World Cup after a little second in Norway Martin Lögström Nyengetet after.
In Finland, Niskanen’s strong reaction was dismayed, even though there were understanders. Koskela himself had many races that he only went to the victory in his mind.
– If you know in advance that there is such an opportunity, you have to get a profit. No prize position or in six of the six. If you do not above it, it is exactly the same whether you are second or tenth.
Koskela sees that this kind of mentality has been eliminated from Finnish top-level sports. Koskela uses Norwegian and Dutch as opposing examples, the latter of which has become the darkest types of the cloud in the cloud.
– There the whole people understand why he breaks his rod when there is one in such a difference. We bring out some irrelevant point of what a tool manufacturer thinks, Koskela says.
Wilma Murron we would be sensation
So, will Finnish athletes see the world records of the Olympic sports in the future?
Finnish multi -match talent Saga Vanninen has outlined their dream of breaking a 7,000 -point limit in seven matches, but that Jackie to Joyner-Kerse There are still 291 more points for the cheekless ME series. It is also difficult to see that racing will be able to do this at least in the near future.
Sports Swimming Specialist Ville Kallinen says that we may be possible in Finnish swimming one day. There are good examples in Europe.
– Switzerland Noe pont broke world records at the short track World Championships. Hungarians are also good examples. Sarah Sjöström In turn, there is a Swedish side.
Kallinen says that finding a me-potential athlete would require a big change in the operating environment of Finnish top sports.
-First of all, the hustle and bustle of the Top Sports Unit and the Olympic Committee should be raised. It would be a clear line of how to make Finnish top sports. Then there should be decisions to better support the athletes of some species.
– In Finnish swimming, I do not see as a credible alternative to concentrating training on individual centers. In swimming, support should be most strongly affected by potential individuals and to support the process in the best possible way.
In recent years, Wilma Murro has been talked about as a Finnish athlete who has a lot of bravery to break the ME result. It is Elena Isinbayevan 506.
In the summer of 2022, the 26-year-old Murto bent his record of 485, but since then there have been no results. Kallinen, followed by international power species, does not believe that the current generation of the Finnish athlete is able to make ME.
– The break’s record is really tough, but it would be incomprehensible for him to rise to the world record of Isinbayeva at that age, Kallinen inches.