Fence runner Viivi Lehikoinen has finally risen to the level required by her potential. Less than two years ago, it required a change of coach, the background and significance of which Lehikoinen now opens in more detail.
The World Championships in Athletics (July 15-24) and the European Championships (August 15-21) will be shown on ‘s channels this summer.
After a disappointing season in 2020, a 400-meter hurdles runner Viivi Lehikoinen sent a long e-mail, to which there was no immediate reply. The patience of the young athlete was put to the test.
– I had to send more messages about that. The contact made me pretty nervous. It was clearly my a-plan, and the b-option did not interest me so much, Lehikoinen recalls less than two years ago.
The message was directed to the success coach To Laurent Meuwly. Lehikoinen introduced himself, told about his sports background and asked to get a lesson from a Swiss pilot.
The twenties in their twenties felt like they were in a forced slit. Lehikoinen, who was renamed the teen star of Finnish athletics at the age of 16, had not realized his potential for three years. The column space and the backers were drastically reduced.
Summer 2020 was yet another disappointment as times spun in 58 seconds despite high expectations. Jussi Ihamäki the athlete piloted at the time realized it was time to make tough decisions.
– When my development took a backseat, the support and encouragement of other people disappeared. The situation became financially difficult. Of course, my own people supported and believed in my potential, but the fact that others had lost their faith as a sportsman was a tough piece, Lehikoinen says.
The runner was seriously considering ending his career, but decided to turn over all possible cards beforehand. The idea of moving to the teachings of a foreign coach had been on my mind for a few years now.
In 2018, Lehikoinen was training in Switzerland for a familiar joint competition Yasmin Gigerin with. At the same time, the authentic man entered the Swiss Athletics Gala and saw, among other things, the European peak of the sport. Léa Sprungerin and Laurent Meuwlyn.
– The level of Finland’s 400-meter and 400-meter fences has long lagged behind the European level. Ever since my trip to Switzerland, I was interested to know what is being done better in Europe.
Meuwly, one of the best in his field, had taken a sprinter in 2018 Hanna-Maari Päkin (os. Latvala), from whom Lehikoinen finally received the coach’s contact information.
Tovi had to wait for an answer, but Meuwly returned. The first steps in the coaching relationship were taken in the autumn of 2020. Lehikoinen vividly remembers the first meeting, which became immeasurably valuable for an athlete seeking self-confidence.
– In October 2020, Laurent said in the presence of my sister that there will be a record next summer. At that point, quite a few had already stopped believing and I didn’t even know if this would return to the top. The fact that the coach at that level said that was a really significant moment for myself.
The fruitfulness of the coaching relationship was already proven last season, when Lehikoinen improved his record four times and reached the Tokyo Olympics. The time of 55.67 would have been enough for the semi-finals in all the Olympic and World Championships 2011–2019, but in Tokyo the semi-final place was 0.02 seconds away.
Among other things, the Olympic medalist of the sport and the European record holder Femke Bolia Pilot Meuwly invested in improving Lehikoinen ‘s speed, a feature that had been completely overshadowed by endurance training in previous years.
Lehikoinen and supervising his training in Finland Mikael Ylöstalo consider advanced speed training to be the key to the success we now see. Preparations for the current season have gone like the previous period in terms of speed and strength training, but some changes have certainly been made.
Lehikoinen will run in the rhythm of 15 steps this season instead of the previous 16 steps.
– At first there was a little excitement in the air, but with the change of rhythm of rhythms, the beginning of the season has been very successful, Ylöstalo says.
The success is reflected in a personal record of 54.96, which Lehikoinen ran in mid-June in Geneva. He is ninth in European statistics.
The times after the record, 55.13 and 55.33, also promise good value for the summer, like the fact that there is something left in the tooth cavity for each performance.
– Kuortane (55,33) had a successful run for the first time, but the weather taxed doing a good time. If I could get the first 200 meters to start relaxed and the second curve to go well, the run would be close to optimal. There have been a few problems in the second curve, I have not been able to do it evenly. The rest has gone pretty well again, the gunner analyzes.
“I trust him 100%”
The coaching relationship between Lehikoinen and Meuwly last season operated mainly remotely. This year, the helper has been able to listen to the lessons of a successful pilot more face-to-face. During the early part of the year, Lehikoinen camped with Meuwly and the Dutch national team he coached in South Africa, Turkey and the Netherlands.
The camp weeks strengthened the well-started coaching collaboration and taught Lehiko more clearly what a 46-year-old Swiss person is like.
– Laurent is stiff, but on the other hand gentle, which suits me really well. I’m pretty stubborn, so I like the coach to have clear tunes in what’s being done. Laurent usually keeps me in check and can calm me down if there is a backpack. I have one hundred percent confidence in what he does and says, Lehikoinen describes.
Meuwly and Ylöstalo, who are coaching at the end of Finland, have witnessed up close how Lehikoinen has changed since the summer 2020 wave. Difficult years have shed not only naivety but also unnecessary performance pressures.
– When we started our cooperation, Viivi felt uncertain about the exercises. When he noticed that things were slowly getting better, he began to trust himself. Small adversities no longer momentarily hurt him, Ylöstalo says.
An ambitious trainee is on the same lines.
– It is still difficult for me to react if I get the flu or get injuries, but my general appearance in training is much happier and more relaxed. I can appreciate sports more. At one time it was just about making a profit. Now I enjoy playing sports on a hard level and running hard.
The improved result level has already given Lehikoinen a place at the World Championships in Eugene in July. On Thursday, June 30, he will run for the first time in his career in the Diamond League at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium.
– Everything has happened so fast that sometimes it is difficult to keep up with yourself. I couldn’t believe a few years ago that I would run in the Diamond League. It really means a lot to me.
Lehikoinen has been asked at regular intervals when he breaks Tuija Helander Finland ‘s record of 54.62 in 1987. The curiosities have not resonated.
The best tracker in Finland does not want to talk about numbers, even though the salt of athletics lies in them, according to many athletes.
– I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, especially in public. The sport is really hard to script. It is influenced by so many factors. Some athletes like to write down their goals, but I personally like to run and try to get the most out of myself.
The enormous potential of Lehikoinen has been known from the junior years, but where can it carry the button all the time? Mikael Ylöstalo does not hide his trust, but at the same time remains faithful to the mindset of his protector.
– He can clearly improve on this. However, I cannot say any goal in seconds. That is something we will talk to Viivi about in the end quite a bit.
Viivi Lehikoinen will compete in the Diamond League in Stockholm on Thursday.