Finnish swimmers will jump into the WC pools in Budapest this week. The short course World Championships are held in Hungary and Finland is represented by a team of seven swimmers: four women and three men.
To Finns, the games seem to be exciting. Finland’s top swimmers have been sick during the fall, but have gotten into excellent performance shape before the start of the world championships.
– It is realistic to expect the Finns to appear both in the semi-finals and the finals, even on the podium, Finland’s head coach Eetu Karvonen povaisi, on the other hand, earlier.
Who will carry Finland’s medal hopes? Who could surprise?
Urheilu’s swimming expert Ville Kallinen in this story opens the starting points of Finnish swimmers for the World Championship pools in Hungary.
Ladies: Laura Lahtinen, Veera Kivirinta, Fanny Teijonsalo, Ada Hakkarainen*
Gentlemen: Ronny Brännkärr, Tomas Koski, Davin Lindholm*
* for the first time in the adult competition
The Finns will be the first in the pool on Tuesday 10.12. in the heats Lahtinen (women’s 50m breaststroke), Brännkärr (men’s 200m medley) and Teijonsalo (women’s 100m backstroke).
You can follow the heats live on TV2 and Areena.
Will Lahtinen bring a World Cup medal as a continuation of his wild fall?
Finland’s biggest hopes for a World Cup medal rest on two women. Laura Lahtinen and Veera Kivirinta are the most potential Finnish final swimmers and potential medal candidates.
Of the duo, Laura Lahtinen has been in the best shape of the blue and white swimmers. Lahtinen’s performances during the fall are tough: two World Cup victories in the 100-meter butterfly, three new Finnish records and one Nordic record.
The performance in the 200-meter butterfly at the World Cup in Shanghai in October was especially convincing, as Finland’s record improved by a full two seconds (new SE 02.03,13). Only three swimmers have swum faster than Lahti this year in both 100 meters and 200 meters.
– Despite the small difficulties he experienced, he has a great starting point for the World Championships. He has taken clear developmental steps forward this season. Those World Cup victories are one example of that, because they were not any low-level competitions, emphasizes expert Ville Kallinen.
– When you look at the time he swam in the 200-meter butterfly at the World Cup, he would have won a medal with it in the three previous short course World Championships.
Kallinen believes that Lahti has full potential to set Finnish records again even in the WC pool. In addition to the technical performance of the swim, Lahtinen must manage to “charge” himself correctly.
– Laura herself has previously described that she has sometimes had a struggle with how she can tune herself and her energy for the games. If it also sucks, I don’t see any reason why the SE readings shouldn’t come. And I even dare to promise that if Finland’s record is seen at 200 meters, it will be a pretty bombproof medal.
Watch Sportliv’s mini doc from Laura Lahti:
Kivirinta is supported by experience and a strong competitive spirit
Veera Kivirinta is going to the Games for the first time as a prize medalist. Kivirinta swam to the podium for the first time in the prestigious adult competition, after taking silver in the 50-meter breaststroke at the European Long Course Championships in the summer.
According to his own words, the pace of the swimmer from Oulu has remained exceptionally hard in the middle of the season. According to Kallinen, that and Kivirinna’s strong value competition experience give the 29-year-old swimmer a good starting point for the World Championship pool in Budapest.
– He is already a very experienced athlete. In addition, the 50-meter breaststroke is such a sport that Veera has certainly been able to get herself in good shape for it. In my opinion, Veera has a good chance of swimming from the final place, while the medal itself depends on very small things on that journey.
Kallinen highlights the fact that Kivirinta sets off on her main journey with the fifth best time in the world. In addition to statistical starting points, Kivirinna’s side also has a strong mental side in value competitions.
– In my opinion, Veera has never swum badly in the main race in recent seasons. Whether it was the World Cup or European Championships. I therefore have strong faith that he will once again perform at his own level in Budapest as well.
Watch Sportliv’s mini doc Veera Kivirinna:
First timers and a surprise card
In Finland’s WC group, on the men’s side, you will be seen as the most famous swimmer Ronny Brännkärr. Like many other Finnish swimmers, Brännkärrk also suffered from illness during the fall.
According to Brännkärri he has had to apply his preparation plan for the games several times. The last setback was the surgery to remove his wisdom teeth a week before going to the Games.
– When compared to previous years, his starting point is not the best possible. However, I think Ronny can swim at that level for a World Cup semi-final spot, Ville Kallinen reflects.
However, Kallinen, an expert on Finnish men, raises his potential surprise of the Games.
– I would definitely like to raise the number of athletes going to the Games Tomas Kosken out. I think he has every chance to do well in the men’s 200m freestyle. However, it requires him to make sure everything is in order at the games, says Kallinen.
Koski broke his big brother in May Matias Kosken held by the 200m freestyle SE in Atlanta, USA (time 1:46.43).
Two of the Finnish team’s swimmers will be seen for the first time in the prestigious adult competition. Davin Lindholm and Ada Hakkarainen now get to measure their level against the best in the world.
– They are the names of Finland’s future and have already shown their rise in the last couple of years. For Davin, development has been steady, but question marks are raised by how his military service has affected his preparation for the World Cup. Ada, on the other hand, has already finished the value competition final at the EC level. I follow them with great interest.
The short course World Championships in Budapest will be held from 10 to 15 December 2024. broadcasts the events in Areena and TV2.