European women have a lot of work to do if they want to reach the Olympic final of the fenced track circuit in a year’s time, writes journalist Atte Husu.
Atte Husu
BUDAPEST. 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2.
The figure in question reflects the number of European women in the 400-meter hurdles finals at the Olympic and World Championship level in the years 2015–2023. As the numbers show, in recent years the position of the representatives of the old continent has become even narrower.
By all logic, there should have been only one European in the final in Budapest, but one of the regular stars of the fenced track circuit Dalilah Muhammad is far from its best right now.
Italian Ayomide Folorunso did not miss his seam, but improved his record by a whopping 0.34 seconds in the semi-final. Folorunso advanced to the final first, ahead of the nose of Muhammad, who was stranded on the beach.
A corresponding record improvement was certainly in mind as well Delay in Lehikoinenwhose emotional storm at ‘s interview booth was impressive to watch.
Everything had clearly been left on the track.
After the name, the time ran in the semi-final.
Shamier Little USA 52.81 SB
Femke Bol NED 52.95
Rushell Clayton JAM 53.30 PB
Kemi Adekoya BRN 53.39 AR
Anna Cockrell USA 53.63 PB
Janieve Russell JAM 53.69
Andrenette Knight JAM 53.72
Ayomide Folorunso ITA 53.89 NO
The 54.48 in the semi-final is the second best time in Lehikoinen’s career. Because he was the fourth best European, behind the Ukrainian Anna Ryzhykova only six hundredths.
However, 53.89 would have been required for the final place. It is 0.51 seconds faster than the Finnish record set by Lehikoinen this year. Although Lehikoinen was 11th in the final results, in terms of time, qualifying from the eight-runner final was definitely not a poor class.
Raw competitive situation
Lehikoinen is not alone in a situation where he is among the medal favorites at the European Championship level, but has to improve his record drastically in order to reach the finals at the Olympic and World Championship level.
At next summer’s Olympics in Paris, the task won’t be made any easier by the fact that the queen of the fenced circuit circuit Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone returns to his bread.
And if McLaughlin-Levrone’s ground-breaking Muhammad, whose best time was less than 52 seconds, returns even close to his record level, the realistic scenario is that a second harder time than the currently valid SE will be required for a place in the final in Paris. Dutch Femke Bolin behind, the final places of the other Europeans are under a rock.
The position of Europeans in international races is illustrated by the fact that 12 of last year’s 66 World Cup medals were won by Europeans. Only four of them were from 400 meters and shorter distances.
100m bronze-winning Briton Zharnel Hughes is so far the only European who has made it to the top five on Budapest’s fast trips.
At the basic level, high
Lehikoinen’s emotional outburst on Tuesday was partly due to the fact that the athlete had had his potential measured out, if not the maximum, then at least almost all of it.
Doing it in the main race of the season is a hat-trick worthy achievement.
When the World Championships reached the halfway point after the morning session on Wednesday, 23 of the 40 Finns had finished their competition. Two of them, a walker Aku Partanen and middle distance runner by Nathalie Blomqvistthe result is decorated with a book combination PB (personal best) describing your own record.
In addition to Lehikoinen Aino Pulkkinen, Saga Vanninen and Joonas Rinne made the top 3 result of their career. Such was also seen as continuing his 800-meter work From Eveliina Määttänen.
Elina Lampela, Anni-Linnea Alanen, Mette Baas, Salla Sipponen and Top Raitanen competed at a level that was in line with their performance level of the current summer. Unlike Wilma Murrolla, On Reetta Hurskee and Määttäsen, this year’s basic level was not enough for the World Cup level beyond the preliminaries/qualification.
The athlete naturally strives to be in the best shape of the season at the prestigious competitions, but ultimately, the competitions are managed at an iron basic level.
An example will do Tero Pitkämäki. In his career, Pitkämäki never threw a season’s best in the prestigious competition, but there are seven prestigious competition medals in his trophy cabinet.
On Wednesday evening, Pitkämäki will get rid of the reference of the previous Finnish World Cup medalist, who has been associated with him since 2015.
With Wilma Murro’s current state of results, a World Cup medal does not require miracles.
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