The family of European Javelin bronze medalist Lassi Etelätalo told Urheilu about the long journey to prestigious medals. Etelätalo, 34, has been chasing the achievement for a long time and there have been difficult moments along the way.
Emma Hyuppa,
Joska Saarinen
Javelin thrower Lassi Etelätalo The EC bronze was also an emotional moment for the Etelätalo family. Urheilu met the father I meanMum Eve and brother I waswhile they were watching the awards show on Sunday night.
The emotions were on the surface when Etelätalo, 34, received the first prize medal of his career around his neck.
– Of course, emotions came to the surface, mother Eeva said.
– Since he was little, we have taken Lass to training. For all other exercises as well, not only for athletics.
Father Esa reminded how far Lassi has come to become an EC bronze medalist.
– Lassi is 34 years old and won his first prestigious medal. It has been hunted, father Esa said.
– This year has been somewhat calm. The man has been confident, more confident than before, the father continued.
Perhaps the fact that Lassi Etelätalo has had good value competition experiences in recent years has contributed to the certainty. In the 2019 World Championships in Doha, he was surprisingly fourth. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he took eighth place and at this year’s World Championships in Oregon, sixth place.
These were important successes on the way to a prestigious medal. Etelätalo was already close in 2014 at the European Championships in Zurich, when he finished fourth.
After that, there were difficult years ahead, when the body could not hold together.
Elbow and leg injuries slowed down development or actually caused a back pack. Etelätalo’s result level dropped. Even the end of the career was close.
After difficult years, the career turned to a new rise in 2019.
The most important moment of the dramatic finale was not being seen by the brother
Etelätalo won EC bronze at the Munich Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
He was tied for the medal after his throw in the first round, until the situation changed in the fifth round.
Experienced in the Czech Republic Vitzeslav Vesely threw 84.36 in the fifth round and edged ahead of Etelätalo. Not again, I’m sure many Finns thought in the stadium and by the receivers.
Vesely was knocked out of the Etelätalo medals at the European Championships in Zurich in 2014, in the fifth round.
This time the Finn refused to lose. After Vesely, Etelätalo threw his own record of 86.44.
The most dramatic moment of Veli Olli’s javelin final was not being seen.
– Fortunately, I just managed to get out of the toilet before Lassi threw it long. I could see from the top rail that it was going far, Olli said.
– The javelin was still not in a good position, so it could have gone further, but it was a pretty hard throw to that spot.
When the top throw started, the Etelätalo family couldn’t keep their pants down.
– The ventilation was strong. The neighbors next door covered their ears, father Esa said.