The world championship, which came off in Colombia with a fair point difference, is the second in a row for Saga Vannis in the under-20 age group. Vanninen was satisfied with his records, but according to the Finn, there was still room for improvement.
Saga Vanninen has won the world heptathlon championship at the Under-20 World Athletics Championships in Colombia. Vanninen, 19, won the championship with a score of 6,084. Second was Germany To Serine Riedel with a result of 5,874 and Germany in third place Sandrina Sorengel with a score of 5,845. In Colombia, Vanninen fell short of 200 points from his record series of 6,271.
In his winning streak, Vanninen set records in the 100-meter hurdles, 13.52, and 24.29 in the 200 meters. The high jump result of 172 was disappointing for the Finn. In the final event that sealed the championship, 800 meters, Vanninen was fourth.
– The competition was a bit fluctuating, some sports went well and records were set, but then there were also a couple of sports that were a bit unsuccessful. The height was perhaps the biggest failure, but in the 200 meters, for example, I improved the season’s best by half a second, which was quite good, Vanninen said after the race.
According to Vanninen, the championship was expected and the athlete had set it as his goal before the competition. Vanninen already won the second youth world championship in Colombia. A year ago, he competed for gold in Nairobi, with a score of 5997.
– I hope to be able to manage at the adult level one day. Yes, it gives direction if the young people do well, but they are two completely different things, Vanninen estimates.
Vanninen cites coaching as one of the most important reasons for his success, which has been goal-oriented and at a good level since he was young. Vanninen and the coach Matti Liimatainen have collaborated for several seasons.
– Maybe also the consistency, that there is no such thing as a really bad sport, and the characteristics have helped when there has been good coaching for a long time.
Vanninen will compete next in the European Championships in Munich, which will take place from 15 to 21. August. Vanninen, who represents Tampere’s Pyrintö, won a European Championship gold in addition to the World Championship gold in the under-20 series a year ago.