The World Championships in long-course swimming reached their peak historically for Finns, when Veera Kivirinta and Ida Hulkko swim in the 50m breaststroke World Cup final in Doha. Never before had two Finnish swimmers been seen in the long course World Cup final at the same time.
However, the two had swum once before in the finals of the value competition at the same time. This happened at the 2021 short track World Cup final in Abu Dhabi.
Now Hulkko finished fifth with a time of 30.60 and Kivirinta seventh with a time of 30.73. Hulko’s ranking is the Finnish team’s best of these games and Kivirinna’s third best. Matti Mattsson was sixth in the 200m breaststroke.
Hulkko was a little behind his time in the heat, because at that time he swam the third best time of his career, 30.36. Kivirinta also clocked a harder time in the first round: 30.53.
In Välieri, Kivirinta was sixth with a time of 30.57 and Hulkko was eighth with a time of 30.69.
The Finnish record for the trip is Hulko’s swim of 30.19 in May 2021.
– Great performance by the swimmers to reach the finals that evening. Yes, those are quite good times, Urheilu’s expert Ville Kallinen stated recently.
The biggest advance favorite of the race swims to the world championship Ruta Meilutyte. The Lithuanian took a couple hundredths off his semi-final time and his winning time was now 29.40. China’s Tang Qianting took silver in 29.51 and Italy Benedetta Pilato bronze with a time of 30.01.
“Feeling extremely gratefulâ€
Both Hulko and Kivirinna’s performances were the best of their careers in the long track World Championships.
Hulko has the EC silver for that distance on the long track from 2021. His previous best finish at the World Championships was eighth place in Gwangju, South Korea, in the summer of 2019.
Kivirinta reached the World Championship final for the first time on the long track. The previous best WC ranking was 13th. At the European Championships, he has been fifth at best.
– Feeling extremely grateful above all, and proud. Nothing else can be said about it, Hulkko rejoiced after the World Cup final.
The timing was not the best. Hulkko said that there is still room for improvement in many things.
– Now you notice again that this is my basic level, and it is enough to fight for the best positions even in these rough places.
– Eighth in my first World Cup final four and a half years ago. Now right after, Hulkko laughed.
Hulko’s main feeling was gratitude because he has been able to raise his level again after difficult years and overwork.
Read also: Top swimmer Ida Hulkko thought she was a machine and exhausted herself in the frantic pace of work
Hulkko emphasized that the World Cup final definitely gave faith and self-confidence to do things, but “not too sweet†. Namely, 50 meters is still not Hulko’s focus. The success of 50 meters left a good aftertaste from the World Championships, but at the same time it only gave a hint and stepping stones for the future.
50m breaststroke is not an Olympic sport. Hulko’s main goal is next summer’s Olympics in Paris, in the 100-meter breaststroke. The A limit for the trip to the Olympics is 1:06.79. Hulk’s SE is 1.06.19.
Next, Hulkko travels to the north for a while in his native Finland to relax.
– Then to the hard work, and let’s continue developing the second half of that hundred. In the spring, there are enough exhibition competitions where people go to get the Olympic limit. Now the first half (50 m) is already in place, but we need to get even more long track races under so that the body gets used to the pain that the latter half requires.
Going with a cold on the stone line
Kivirinta was satisfied with her swimming speed, but not with her performance in the World Cup final.
– Getting to the surface was terribly challenging, Kivirinta lamented.
In the surface, the pace was slow, which took away the chances of better places, even though the Finn caught up with the others in the swimming pace.
– If in the 50 meter distance the starting speed does not keep up during the surfacing, it is very difficult to accelerate any more.
– However, the first long track World Cup final, of course it was cool and great to be there.
In addition, Kivirinna’s mood was affected by feeling cold. The swimmer said that on Saturday night he felt congested, and that’s why there was no chance of sleeping.
Kivirinna is 50 meters away, and that’s why she’s not aiming for an Olympic place. Kivirinta works as a police officer in Helsinki, and there is not enough time to spend on longer trips. The career may end next summer.
– Now it’s a good time to start towards the summer, the European Championship is coming up there. Swimming works. As long as we get these little things sorted out. This gave good step signs.