Lotta Harala, who broke the Finnish women’s high hurdles record on Sunday, feels that despite the record, the run was not perfect.
Quick beeper Lotta Harala ran a new Finnish record in the women’s 100-meter hurdles on Sunday, when the clock stopped at 12.65 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. On Monday, the SE woman answers the phone from the airport tired, because after the day of the race, the night’s sleep has been unnecessarily short.
In addition to fatigue, the main feeling is satisfaction.
– I’ve known since the spring that I was in such a condition that I have a chance to run the Finnish record. I am very satisfied that it happened, Harala is happy.
The conditions were also optimal, as the tailwind was 1.5 meters per second in the semi-final race.
A year ago, Harala broke his then-record in the same competition, and the venue of Chaux-de-Fonds is indeed Harala’s favorite. In his opinion, good competition conditions are indicated by the fact that many world-class athletes want to participate in that competition.
– There is something magical here, that the group here likes to run. It probably also affects that we think that there will be hard times here. It mentally creates such that then it happens and here we run hard.
Sunday’s final was won by the Netherlands Nadine Visser with a record time of 12.36 in his home country. Harala stopped in the final with a time of 12.69 and finished fifth.
The previous Finnish record was held by a teammate of Harala, who represents Tampere’s Pyrintö Reetta Hurskeen on behalf of.
– We have had a really tough level in women’s speed fences for years. It has pushed us forward all the time, when a good run like that is not enough. It has to be an excellent run to beat the Finns.
The run wasn’t perfect
On Sunday morning, Harala guessed that a new Finnish record could be possible. The successful fence practice on Wednesday gave a lot of self-confidence.
Although the clock stopped at the record readings in Sunday’s semi-final run, the athlete can see that the performance was by no means perfect.
– It was a good and successful run, but not a “dream, perfect, everything worked out” kind of run.
The response from the stands could have been better. In addition, he feels that before the last two fences the best rhythm of the performance disappeared and the final smoothness was bad.
– I don’t really remember much of the run after the initial reaction, until I realized at the fence that I needed help, what was going on. Usually, the fact that you don’t remember means that you have been very present during the run.
Harala believes that with button performance in top conditions, the time can improve even more. However, he can’t say at what time the clock could stop then.
Feet and shoulder full of asphalt rash
In the spring, Harala opened his outdoor track season strongly, but in the summer, his training and competitions have been overshadowed by problems with his hamstrings and buttocks. Now, about three weeks before the preliminary run of the Olympic Games, Harala’s health situation looks bright again.
– I have a little pain from when I fell after finishing the Finnish record run. I have asphalt rash all over my legs and shoulder. But there is no injury at the moment.
32-year-old Harala is going to the Paris Olympics with anticipation and a good mood.
– It’s by no means the feeling that the jacket is somehow empty, but it’s a really hungry feeling thinking about the Olympics and the whole rest of the season anyway.
He thinks that a successful, close-to-record run, which is the goal, could open up a place in the semi-finals.
– It would be hard to run in the Olympic semi-finals.