Wilma Murro’s loved ones were tense in the stands when the Finnish jumper fought in the pole vault World Cup final. According to Sari’s mother, Wilma has grown up as a competitor and gained experience in tough competitions.
Nina Old house,
Anu Karttunen
Wilma Murto showed iron nerves in the pole vault final at the World Championships stadium in Eugene. Instead, the parents in the stands Sari and Matti Murto and common-law partner Jaakko Linkoheimo were not as calm as they watched Wilma’s jumps.
– I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited. I was pretty nervous, Jaakko Linkoheimo admitted after the race.
– Mother got so far that Wilma’s initial heights were always the first and I could breathe. It’s always the most horrible thing for a mother if the initial height doesn’t go until the last one. That’s when the heart beats, Sari Murto stated.
When Wilma’s sixth place was confirmed, the cheering crowd could breathe a sigh of relief. Wilma herself arrived at the side of the stand to greet them, to receive congratulatory hugs and kisses from her common-law partner. According to the mother, apart from the congratulations, there wasn’t much exchange of ideas, because Wilma knows what the parents are thinking. The common-law spouse, on the other hand, stated something else:
– Better in the next games, he said he said.
– And of course I congratulated and said that I was proud.
Both Sari Murto and Jaakko Linkoheimo were of the opinion that the sixth place was very good, especially since Wilma still suffered from a broken foot during the winter. In my mother’s opinion, Wilma has grown a lot as a competitor in recent years and has shown it especially in big competitions, such as last year at the Tokyo Olympics and now at the World Championships. Sometimes there is more groping in small competitions.
– Now he has been able to focus on value competitions and prepare for them. They can Jarnon (coach Birch tree) clearly with how fitness is scheduled. The preparation has gone really well, Sari Murto said.
According to the mother, it is the experience that has made Wilma a good final jumper, and she also praises the Finnish Sports Federation’s policy of sending young athletes to prestigious competitions.
– In this way, athletes are given opportunities to practice being in prestigious competitions. You never know who will be the successful person of the future.
Jarno Koivunen watched his protégé’s jumps closely from the stands and was satisfied, especially with Murro’s last attempt from a height of 470.
– It was a near miss. It would have been nice to go over, so he would have been able to try the 480. The medals were quite tough today, because the others are also in tough shape, Koivunen reflected.
According to the coach, Murto jumped the first attempt from 470 with the same rope as 460, but it went loose. After that, he adopted a completely new soap.
– He had never used it before. The second jump went by hand and the last one had a really good jump, but that was the end of the race.
Wilma Murto said in her post-race interview that she already started counting down the days to the European Championships in August, and her parents, common-law partner and coach are waiting for the same. Sari Murto is in Eugene as the travel director of the Yleiserluðifanit ry’s fan trip and plans to be in the stands cheering at the European Championships as well. At that time, Wilma Murto exceeds 470, at least if coach Koivus is to be believed.
– Then it would be close to a medal, Koivunen said.
Jaakko Linkoheimo is also on the same lines, who has not yet booked a trip to Munich, but is already planning it.
– There will be a medal from the European Championship, he said.
Watch Wilma Murro’s decisive jumps and commentary in the videos below.