Coach Janne Ukonmaanaho said that he already saw in training that Topi Raitanen is in a shock.
Joel Holma,
Joska Saarinen
19.8. 22:34•Updated 19.8. 22:59
Finland Top Raitanen organized a sensation at the European Athletics Championships on Friday. Raitanen ran to victory in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, even though he was not one of the biggest favorites to win the race beforehand.
Of course, the race was known beforehand to be even, but still the European championship with a time of 8:21.80 was a surprise. Or maybe not for Raitase and his coach For Janne Ukonmaanaho.
– Today was Topi’s screening. At the point when he pulled the last hole on the net court, I told him that his running has never looked so good, Ukonmaanaho told ‘s TV broadcast.
In an interview, Ukonmaanaho recounted Raitanen’s ingenious tactics that decided the world championship. Raitanen immediately shot to the top of the group and kept the pace of the first lap. Or rather braked.
Raitanen is known as a hard sprinter, which is why it was in the Finn’s advantage to keep the pace calm.
Raitanen and Ukonmaanaho knew that the Italian Zoghlam brothers and Ahmed Abdelwahed at some point start to keep a faster pace. This happened a little after the middle of the race.
According to Ukonmaanaho, the pace still did not get too fast.
– The whole time it seemed that Topi Kiri couldn’t be bored. He himself built the run so that it looked like that, Ukonmaanaho beamed.
The coach became sensitive towards the end of the interview when he was asked about the difficulties of the summer. At the World Championships in Oregon in July, Raitanen’s racing career went downhill.
Raitanen said that after the World Cup contract, he suffered from mysterious health problems all summer.
– This is a bit of a difficult topic, but… I’ve always known that Topi is fine. There were various very challenging things.
Ukonmaanaho’s answer was interrupted when he saw Raitanen near the stands. Ukonmaanaho shouted congratulations to his protégé, but he still couldn’t hug Raita.
The coach’s reaction can be seen below.
M 3,000 METERS OBSTACLES, final race
1. Topi Raitanen FIN 8.21,80
2. Ahmed Abdelwahed ITA 8:22,35
3. Osama Zoghlami ITA 8:23,44
4. Daniel Arce ESP 8.25,00
5. Karl Bebendorf GER 8:26,49
6. Sebastian Martos ESP 8.26,68
7. Ala Zoghlami ITA 8.27,82
8. Djilali Bedrani FRA 8:28,52
9. Phil Norman GBR 8.33.05
10. Emil Blomberg SWE 8:33,09