Saga Vanninen’s season has been full of corrective movements due to a back problem.
Paris Olympics on channels 26.7.–11.8. Go to the competition website here. You can find the entire program of the games here.
PARIS.
– I have to be satisfied that I’m here at all.
A septuagenarian Saga Vannisen the statement had a lot in common with the pole vaulter Wilma Murrollawhen Vanninen arrived at the interview point after the Olympic match. Instead, the main race of the season ended with 15 points, 6,163. They are 228 points short of Vanninen’s record from last year.
Like Murto, Vanninen has suffered from an injury throughout the Olympic year. The problem is a nagging back problem, which the athlete and coach have not wanted to open up in more detail.
– The summer has been really difficult, especially mentally. At some point there was a bit of anxiety when I knew what the condition was like. Still, I didn’t seriously think that I would miss these races. When it’s on the line, there’s always a chance to succeed, Vanninen said.
The athlete lived up to his word in the last event of the match at 800 meters. Vanninen crossed the finish line in 2:14.36 and shaved 3.55 seconds off his previous record.
– That’s something too, Vanninen said with a big smile.
No head against the wall in the future
Immediately after the match, Vanninen was able to name the essential moment of the season where he felt he had reached the wrong decision.
Vanninen suffered from back problems already in the winter, but he rehabilitated himself in the WC halls. The problems returned in the spring just before the opening of the competition season.
– There were minor symptoms in the back, which I thought would pass. You should have reacted a little more sensitively, especially since there was already a background of trouble in the winter. In the future, you have to know how to react much faster. If there is this kind of effort, you cannot make a result, Vanninen said.
Vanninen admitted that the positive image left from the World Cup halls influenced the selection, which is essential for the season. Tampere Pyrinnö’s competitor’s promise achieved the pentathlon World Cup silver, even though the competition bases had remained non-existent due to back problems.
For the second time, Vanninen did not get rid of the problem as he had hoped.
– When the WC halls in Glasgow went so well on such bad soles, there was little faith that this one would have the seam to be in record condition. However, the speed is now at such a bad level that I can’t do better than that, Vanninen summed up.
The experienced roared
Vanninen is a two-time junior world champion and European champion, whose record at the age of 21 is 6,391 points.
The years of success were now followed by a period of learning. Despite his difficult season, Vanninen is still the holder of the ME Jackie Joyner-Kerseen above, when comparing the duo’s pace of development.
The next time the Olympic medals are handed out, Vanninen will be 25 years old. For example, who won gold in Paris Nafissatou Thiam is 29, has achieved silver Katarina Johnson-Thompson 31 and reached bronze Noor Vidts 28 years old.
– Maybe now it feels like it’s a bit busy. That you should succeed now. However, there is still time, Vanninen said.
– If I stay healthy, I can improve my record by hundreds of points. Health is the biggest thing that needs to be fixed.