The bronze medalist of the Budapest European Wrestling Championships was Konsta Mäenpää, 24, the first medal of value for adults. The head coach of the wrestling team Juha Lappalainen opens the background to Mäenpää’s success.
Finnish wrestling got a new medalist when Konsta Mäenpää grabbed bronze at the European Greco-Roman Wrestling European Championships in Budapest on Saturday after tough stages. Mäenpää and the German, who were in the 130-kilo series Franz Richterin the bronze match ended 1–1, but the Finn scored the last point.
Mäenpää is still a relatively unknown athlete to the general public, but the coaching team of the national team already knew how to expect a medal.
– This medal did not come as a surprise, but the boy was under a lot of pressure when the medal was now available, head coach Juha Lappalainen evaluates Sport.
Mäenpää, 24, who received his wrestling skills in Ilmajoki, has done determined work, the results of which are now beginning to show.
– Konsta is a small rabbit that has gradually grown to the size of men. His clear goal has been to grow into a heavyweight man. Now the results are starting to show.
– He’s learned the basics of wrestling. Not perhaps the most physical guy, but a ready-to-throw and technical wrestler. There is explosiveness, now everything works in a very heavy series, Lappalainen notes.
At the European Championships in Budapest, the medal was confirmed by precise and tactical performances. Now the result was sought and no hard risks were taken.
– Konsta wrestled tactically and confidently. But there will still be a time when Konsta will bake the opponents very carefully, Lappalainen believed.
In particular, the durability properties need to be further improved.
– Endurance looked surprisingly good now at the European Championships, but there is always room for improvement in endurance. The carpet defense now worked well, although he still has to develop in it, Lappalainen estimates.
Mäenpää and Kuosmanen in the same series
There have been no problems with weights.
– The scale always swings to the corners of the 130, but is conveniently below the 130 in the morning when weighing. No need to exercise, so the weights are pretty good, Lappalainen explained.
Mäenpää pointed out that he was particularly pleased that the European Championship medal was already coming, even though he felt that he was still in the early stages as a wrestler for a heavy series.
– Konsta has handled things well and sees far into the future. This medal is sure to give an extra kick to the job, now we are on the right track. Now we are just doing the same things and even better, Lappalainen said.
The European Championships got a handsome decision. It is a good idea to turn this towards the World Cup towards the end of the year.
– The next goal is the autumn World Cup. Surely Paris (the upcoming Summer Olympics) is also a goal, as it should be, Lappalainen said.
Representative of the Tokyo Olympics Elias Kuosmanen rehabilitates his shoulder cut after Tokyo and thus did not enter the Budapest Games.
Mäenpää and Kuosmanen will form an interesting battle pair when Kuosmanen gets back into competition. Kuosmanen also competes in the 130-kg series.
– It will be a good fighting pair and an interesting fight when Elias gets back to the races. But it is always healthy that there will be a struggle even in Finland, Lappalainen said.