Wheelchair shot putter Teijo Kööpikkä was fourth in his first Paralympics.
Joel Sippola,
Emma Jump
6.9. 22:34•Updated 6.9. 23:23
Chair shot putter Teijo Köpikkä was a fine fourth in his first Paralympics, although there were chances for a medal as well.
Bronze was awarded with 14.65, while the Finn has pushed 14.80 at his best in his career. Kööpikä’s best with six attempts was 14.18.
Gold was won by Iran Yasin Khosravi, who even came close to the world record with his 15.96 rip. Brazil won the silver Tiago dos Santos Paulino (15.06) and third by India Hokato Hotozhe Sema.
– The ranking is disappointing. It wasn’t more than a man today, Kööpikkä acknowledged his competition.
Köpikkka pushed an even streak. He broke the 14 meter mark four times: 14.18, 14.14, 13.77, 14.17, 14.13 and 13.96.
– That’s why they were flat when they didn’t come off properly. There is no explanation. This is my body and now nothing better came out.
So Köpikkä competed in his first Paralympics.
– The event is great. It’s nice to be on the field, but the thoughts are on the disappointment of the race at this point.
The ball lightning flared up again
Kööpikkä, 43, is known as a talented shot putter who was on the side of the disabled at the under-20 European Championship medals in 1999. His best shot was 18.84.
The career of the athlete from Laihia was on a strong upswing, until muscle degeneration in the legs that started in 2005 led to the end of his career.
However, the spark for competitive sports did not end and Kööpikkä returned to shot put in 2023 in chair shot put. The success has been fast, as he has both last year’s and this year’s World Championship bronze.
Kööpikka is coached by a spearhead star Tero Pitkämäki also known as a coach Hannu Kangas.
Teijo Kööpikä’s 14 years younger younger brother Timo is also a shot putter and Finnish champion of the 2018 Kaleva Games. Teijo coaches her as well as the one who won the women’s Finnish championship last summer Kaisa from Kymälä.
Kööpikä’s foster club is Laihian Luja, but in recent years he has represented Rauma’s Athletes at the club level.