Sensational end in Mikkeli’s heated javelin race – 28-year-old Taneli Juutinen effortlessly hit the 80-meter club, beating Oliver Helander

Today there was a Mikkeli Games athletics night in Mikkeli, where the number one sport was javelin.

Mikkeli’s competitions aroused a lot of buzz in the public beforehand. Finland’s top players had been attracted to Mikkeli Oliver Helander and Toni Kuusela.

The recruitment of the duo came as a big surprise to the sports association. The sports federation would not have included Mikkeli Games in the competition calendar at this time if it had known that Mikkeli was a direct competitor to the Lappeenranta GP.

The games can be held without the blessing of the Sports Confederation, but then the results will not end up in the statistics.

The rewards were also nice in a domestic way, when the winner of both the men’s and women’s race received 2,500 euros in Mikkeli.

In the end, the javelin throw was completely dropped from the GP competitions held in Lappeenranta on Wednesday.

Read more: Pekka Holopainen’s column: The sports association feels that it has been cheated – the manager who is not afraid of conflict does not back down in the spear dispute

It also caused surprise in athletics circles that Helander threw in Mikkeli and not in Monaco’s Diamond League.

Read more: Monaco’s Diamond League boss regrets Oliver Helander’s surprise decision – “The door is still open for him”

Mikkeli’s event started Tero Pitkämäki with a show throw. The 2007 world champion famously turned his cap the wrong way round and nearly missed a 50-meter shot, which he casually stepped over.

Alas’ third career best

Fresh EC bronze medalist in the women’s javelin Anni-Linnea Alanen scored an excellent 59.86 at the end. It was also a winning throw.

It was the third best throw of Alanen’s career. He previously raced his record of 62.45 at Pihtiputaa javelin carnival. He threw the European Championship bronze for under-23s with a result of 60.37.

of Japan Yuka Sato was second (57.13) and Jenni Kangas third (53.88).

Alas had special problems in the race. He said in SUL’s press release that his back was stiff from the close competition. Besides that, his shoe had broken.

– The spikes broke, and the toes came into the yard. I threw the last three rounds Sannen (Erkkola) with spikes, but then I got a decent result on the last throw. It was an important throw for me, because it showed that even though it’s not such a good day, I can get a good result in a tight spot.

Sensational winner in men’s javelin

In the men’s javelin throw, a new Finn joined the 80-meter club, when Taneli Juutinen smashed 80.40 in his first. And when the pace was up, Juutinen rattled off no less than 82.85 in his fourth.

The already 28-year-old javelin carnival roller’s record before this summer was 77.21 thrown in 2019. This season, Juutinen improved his record first in Parkano to 77.83 and last week in Siilinjärvi to 79.03.

In June, Juutinen received a surprising competition invitation to represent Finland, when Toni Kuusela missed the EC team competitions, which were held in Chorzow, Poland, due to health reasons. In the EC team competition, Juutinen finished eighth with a result of 74.84.

Now the man representing Kuopio Reipa shook the ghost line – and literally by throwing. The man has improved his record by five and a half meters this summer, at the age of 28.

Juutis became the 43rd Finnish man to throw a new javelin model over 80 meters. On the all-time Finnish list, Juutinen was ranked 27th.

Kuortane’s SE result is 1999 Aki Parviainen torn by 93.09. They have also thrown more than 90 meters Tero Pitkämäki (91.53) and Seppo Räty (90.60).

In this season’s domestic list, Juutinen finished third. Helander has thrown 87.32 and Kuusela 84.37.

In Mikkeli’s race, Helander was second (80.97) and Toni Keränen third (80.56). Kuuselak got over 80 meters (80.50). So, a tough domestic competition.

– The first throw was already such that you could be satisfied. When the boys passed by ten centimes, I could talk more about it. I knew how to wait for 80 meters, but I didn’t expect anything like this, Juutinen told Ilta-Sanom.

Juutinen said in the Sports Confederation’s press release that in the most recent record throw, everything hit the button.

– The step mark hit well and I reached my own level at a risky pace and the support held better than ever. You could feel it right away that the spear went well.

Next week’s Kaleva Games got a whole new twist for the men’s javelin. Juutinen has placed seventh at the best in the Kaleva Games. Now the goal is a medal.

– They certainly don’t want to lose again, Juutinen grumbled to IS, referring to his rivals.

Helander, on the other hand, was anything but satisfied. The problem known from previous games continued.

– Support doesn’t matter at all, everything goes through. And I don’t really know why. It’s pretty hard to say. His physical condition is good, so this is a shame, Helander stated in SUL’s press release.

– Before, the support leg has been really firm. I don’t know if this is because I had problems with my knee in the spring. I don’t care about the outrigger, it just doesn’t respond as it should.

Story updated at 21:55. Added comments from athletes.