Vehmaa from Lappeenranta holds the Finnish records for 17- and 19-year-olds. The seven-centimeter-higher men’s fences will be available in more than a year.
Under-18 European Championships in summer 2022 in Jerusalem, 110-meter hurdles. Rasmus Vehmaa runs for a wild start. He doesn’t stay standing on the field, but walks off the field and doesn’t give interviews.
– I felt something in my hind legs. At the same time, I knew that there was such a time running out that I would have to give a few interviews. Actually, I was in a hurry to catch the bus, which left 10 minutes from the field, laughs Vehmaa.
The feeling in the hind legs hit once and for all in the semi-final run and the run was abandoned. Vehmaa spent the rest of the season sparing a leg.
The now 18-year-old sprinter representing Lappeenranta Urheilu-Miehia is calm before the Lappeenranta GP competition in the evening. Vehmaa is trying to improve the 19-year-old Finnish record in her own name, which was set at the Marski Games in Lappeenranta at the beginning of June. The clock then stopped at 13:43.
Fences higher than 6.7 centimeters
The height of fences for 19-year-olds is 100 centimeters. Men’s fences are 6.7 centimeters higher. The transition to men’s fences is just around the corner.
– I’ve tried the men’s fences, but I haven’t run at full speed. That change to 100 centimeters is big, but not as big as the transition from 17-year-old fences to today’s. They were 91 centimeters high, it felt like a completely different sport, Vehmaa reflects.
Next season’s Vehmaa can still run in the 19-year-old leagues, but then the next step must be taken.
– The transition to the men’s 110 meter hurdles is really difficult for many. Especially when I’m not an Eiffel tower, but quite short as a hurdler. That’s why the transition is not the easiest for me. At that age, the army will still be there, so that can also affect the transition, says Vehmaa.
The domestic GP series of athletics continues on Wednesday in Lappeenranta. The competition will be shown on Areena and the app at 17:30 and on TV2 from 18:30.