Finnish news (Åstrand 20.72 NR)

[Olli]

Finnish NCs were held this weekend in Lahti. Highlights below...

mJT:
1. Antti Ruuskanen 87.79
2. Ari Mannio 84.62
3. Tero Pitkämäki 83.48

With respect to the medalists' average result, these NCs were perhaps this year's highest-level javelin competition.

[croflash]

How can you compete in two different national championships in T&F?

[LopenUupunut]

Some nice Finnish results from a FIN-SWE-NOR triangular match in Växjö (Sweden):

m200:

1. Jonathan Åstrand 20.72 (indoor NR)
2. Nil de Oliveira SWE 21.21

Previous indoor NR was 21.13 by Tommi Hartonen, so that was quite an improvement! Åstrand didn't look that sharp in the 60 but his endurance seems to be up. Let's hope he can break the outdoor NR (20.47) as well

w200:

1. Hanna-Maari Latvala 23.30 PB
2. Irene Ekelund SWE 23.57

Better than her outdoor PB, too. In addition, Ella Räsänen only lost to European Champion Moa Hjelmer by 0.02 in the w400 (though the time wasn't that great at 53.52), so it looks as if there's finally some light at the end of the tunnel for Finnish sprinting

I just hope it's not an oncoming train...

[26mi235]

How can you compete in two different national championships in T&F?

The US has allowed foreign athletes in their National Championship meet.

[LopenUupunut]

NCs this weekend. An awful lot of very fast reaction times (even below 0.100) in the sprints; they blamed their new silent gun system, but I can't help wondering if that really explains everything.

Nooralotta Neziri set a new NR in the w60m hurdles of 8.07 in the heats before being DQ'd (false start) in the final. Ella Räsänen followed up on her good performance at Växjö with a 52.99 iNR and a 23.67 iNJR, so it seems she's progressing again after a couple disappointing years The only world-class mark was Eero Haapala's 803 in the long jump; he'll likely be our lone medal hope at the Euro Indoors. I just hope he qualifies for the final, he's had an ugly tendency to get his best marks in 5th and 6th rounds this year...

Since Eleriin Haas won another Finnish championship today I should probably elaborate. She's a citizen of Estonia but has permanent residence in Finland and represents a Finnish club, which means she (or rather, her club) can apply for an eligibility permit. Obviously, as an Estonian citizen she's also eligible for the championships of that country

Full results here.

[mikli]

NCs this weekend. An awful lot of very fast reactions times (even below 0.100) in the sprints; they blamed their new silent gun system, but I can't help wondering if that really explains everything.

The reaction times of Jussi Kanervo are illustrative:
60m (heat): 0.102
60mh (heat): 0.107
60mh final: < 0.100 => DQ
4x200m: < 0.100 => DQ

[26mi235]

Given the distributions that you have published, I am assuming that the mechanism has a lag of 0.05 - 0.07 seconds.

[mikli]

Little less, I would say, (in absence of any sort of analysis), maybe 0.03-0.04.