Finnish news (Åstrand 20.72 NR)

[LopenUupunut]

Javelin results from Pihtipudas

1. Tero Pitkämäki 83.87
2. Ari Mannio 83.63
3. Lassi Etelätalo 82.98
4. Teemu Wirkkala 81.88
5. Antti Ruuskanen 81.72

Some headaches for the EC team selectors... Pitkämäki had several throws around 80 but no other big ones (if you can call 83 that). Mannio had one other 81+ throw, Etelätalo had an 80.66, WIrkkala had 4 throws at 80 plus...

[LopenUupunut]

Finland will "send" a huge team to the Euros, mostly because as the host country we're allowed one entrant in every event... though there will be some events without any Finns, and of course we only have actual chances in about 2 events

Pitkämäki was named in the team (together with Mannio and Ruuskanen)... personally, I think Wirkkala should have been in (instead of either Ruuskanen or Pitkämäki), he's been very consistent this year.

[pakillo]

I'm happy to see Pitkämäki is selected but if he doesn't justify his selection with good result Wirkkala should be in a team for OG.

Shame Keskisalo is not in a good form. He was far from pace at Huelva meet.

[LopenUupunut]

Highlights from the latest Elite Games meeting in Lapinlahti:

m100:
1. Nicholas Watson JAM 10.29 (+0.1)
2. Ramil Guliyev TUR 10.33

Guliyev had an OK start but a very bad acceleration phase... he was way behind at 70m.

m200:
1. Kenroy Anderson JAM 20.59 (-0.5)
2. Nicholas Watson JAM 20.68
3. Ramil Guliyev TUR 20.69
4. Jonathan Åstrand FIN 21.14

After his good finish in the 100 I thought Guliyev might do well in the 200, but that wasn't the case... he did finish faster than the Jamaicans again but gave up even more ground early on. Åstrand was never in the equation (even though he was still ahead of Guliyev at 120m...), unfortunately he hasn't been in the same shape as last year.

m1500:
1. Jeff Riseley AUS 3:36.10
2. Niclas Sandells FIN 3:36.88 PB
3. Belal Mansoor Ali BRN 3:37.49

Best time by a Finn in 32 years! Got the Oly B standard at the last moment too

mJT:
1. Tero Pitkämäki 81.70
2. Antti Ruuskanen 79.70
6. Teemu Wirkkala 75.45

Ruuskanen was still a convalescent, Wirkkala turned up to throw as this was the last opportunity but his ankle's still a mess PItkämäki and Ruuskanen should both make the Oly team.

mLJ:
1. Tommi Evilä 781
2. Roni Ollikainen 774
3. Juho-Matti Pimiä 770

Mostly jumped into a headwind but the results are still a disappointment... neither Evilä or Ollikainen looked very energetic today. We have 3 guys at 800+ this year but nobody got the Oly B standard...

w100:
1. Hayley Jones GBR 11.57 (-0.8)
2. Noora Hämäläinen FIN 12.04

wSteeple:
1. Sandra Eriksson 9:43.38 PB

A complete solo run, yet she improved her PB from '09 and also got the Oly B standard at the last moment

wHJ:
1. Yekaterina Bolshova RUS 186

Full results here.

[LopenUupunut]

Results from Lappeenranta... the weather conditions were very Londonian so the meet likely served well as an Olympic tune-up

m100:

1. Jacques Harvey JAM 10.25 (-0.7)
2. Ramil Guliyev TUR 10.40
5. Visa Hongisto 10.64

Another bad race for Guliyev, his acceleration phase wasn't any better than at Lapinlahti.

m200:
1. Ramil Guliyev TUR 20.53 (+0.0)
2. Rasheed Dwyer JAM 20.70

The first race in a while where he looked more like the real Guliyev - though again it was a case of being well behind at 120m and zooming past everybody near the end. Can't help wondering if he should try a 400...

m1500:
1. Niclas Sandells 3:38.44
2. Garrett Heath USA 3:38.63
3. Craig Miller USA 3:39.07

This had been hyped as an attempt at Pekka Vasala's ancient NR, but really I'm not sure Sandells is quite in the form to break that, even if he did get really close at Lapinlahti. Anyway, while he was still capable of out-kicking the Americans at 3:38 it wasn't nearly as impressive as his finish in the EC heats off a slower pace, so I'm hoping he gets a slow race at London... preferably multiple slow races of course

m3000:
1. Josephat Menjo KEN 7:44.07
2. Ben St. Lawrence AUS 8:04.62

mJT:
1. Oleksandr Pyatnytsya UKR 81.38
2. Antti Ruuskanen 79.03
3. Risto Mätas EST 77.50

Things aren't looking good for Finnish JT guys. Yes, the conditions were far from ideal, but they should still be throwing much further...

w400h:
1. Tiffany Williams USA 57.14

w1500:
1. Peril Nengampi KEN 4:09.96
2. Zoe Buckman AUS 4:10.57
3. Yekaterina Gorbunova RUS 4:11.97
5. Suvi Selvenius 4:22.25

Gorbunova really didn't look like a sub-4 runner here... On the Finnish front, Karin Storbacka, who was in promising form last year, has been nearly completely sidelined this year by health problems.

wHT:
1. Anna Bulgakova RUS 67.06
2. Merja Korpela 66.43
3. Alina Kastrova BLR 64.37

Full results here.

[LopenUupunut]

Results from Kuortane, the last Finnish meet of any importance before the Olys. Conditions: highly windy but otherwise good.

mLJ:
1. Michel Tornéus SWE 822 (+2.0) NR
2. Eero Haapala 789w/786

Tornéus currently seems to thrive in Finland - he's jumped 8+ four times this year, all of them in Finland. Our best guys (Ollikainen and Evilä) were missing but their form seems to have been down lately anyhow, so I doubt they could have threatened Tornéus here.

mJT:
1. Tero Pitkämäki 84.90
2. Lassi Etelätalo 84.06
3. Ari Mannio 82.18
4. Antti Ruuskanen 81.63
5. Julius Yego KEN 81.12 NR
..
10. Bartosz Osewski POL 71.25

The conditions were excellent, so don't necessarily expect these guys to replicate their results in London. I'm afraid Pitkämäki might be particularly susceptible to this... though 84.90 in any conditions is very encouraging Etelätalo is a great 6th round thrower, his best throws have always come in the last round - today, for instance, he only had 77.92 after 5 rounds

mHT:
1. David Söderberg 75.21
2. Olli-Pekka Karjalainen 75.16
3. Mattias Jons SWE 75.00

Our one Olympic spot in the HT was on the line today, and the fight for it proved close and exciting Söderberg's undoubtedly in better form right now, but Karjalainen has more upside and is by far the better big meet competitor so I'm in two minds about Söderberg winning.

mPV:
1. Jere Bergius 560

A very welcome result for Bergius - it's been a while since he had any jumps this good, and the windy conditions surely didn't make it easy.

wHT:
1. Anna Bulgakova RUS 69.13
2. Merja Korpela 66.07

Korpela had to somehow do 69.00 today to be selected for the Olympics, and unsurprisingly she wasn't even close; she hasn't been in her best form this year.

Full results here. As this was the last meet our Oly team should be finalized now, I'll give my usual analysis of its chances (or lack thereof) later.

[roixordo]

Klüft injured in Kourtane and she won´t compite at Olympics

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012 ... -withdraws

[LopenUupunut]

roixordo, thanks - I meant to post that but forgot

Our final team for London... 17 athletes, but most of them will have no chances whatsoever of even making the final/top 8 or 12. My analysis of the team follows below...

m200: Jonathan Åstrand (SB 20.92) - chances: none

He was in promising form in 2010 and especially early 2011, but this year's been a far cry from his best form. No realistic chances of even making the semis.

m1500: Niclas Sandells (3:36.88) - chances: slim

He looked very good at the Euros before falling in the final, but today he seemed pretty tired (then, it was a 3K in nasty conditions...) He has a good kick but fast races would essentially kill his chances, so there's a luck factor involved here; if his heat is slower than 3:40 I'd expect him to make the semis at least.

mMar: Jussi Utriainen (2:16:35) - chances: none

Nuff said. i'd be happy if he made the top 40.

mSteeple: Jukka Keskisalo (8:27.96) - chances: none

I briefly considered a slim based on his old times and champs reputation, but... nah. I'd be very surprised and delighted should he make the final.

m50kW: Jarkko Kinnunen (2:08:49/30k) - chances: some

I can't help but feel he's underperformed in the 50 - he placed 9th in '09 and is surely in better form now, but EC '10 and WC '11 were both disappointments. Less hype than the last couple years, but hopefully more substance.

m50kW: Antti Kempas (3:56:51/'11) - chances: none

Realistically it has to be a none, even though he's a more consistent performer than Kinnunen. He's never shown the sub-3:50 ability a slim would require... hoping for a surprise

mHJ: Osku Torro (228) - chances: none

He's had some visits at 230+, but always indoors, and his major meet history also weighs against him. Torro making the final would be a big surprise.

mPV: Jere Bergius (572) - chances: slim

Today's 560 was promising, but a spot in the final is the best he can hope for, and even that seems unlikely as he's far from being consistent.

mJT: Antti Ruuskanen (84.95) - chances: OK
mJT: Tero Pitkämäki (84.90) - chances: OK
mJT: Ari Mannio (84.31) - chances: OK

All of them have something going for them - Pitkämäki has known upside, Mannio is the most consistent and won a bronze at EC and Ruuskanen has a good major meet record. Even so, I'd be surprised by a medal and will be relieved even if only two of them make the final.

Thinking more globally, the London field will be very deep but the top end is far from sharp, and an 84 might well win a medal. Even the gold is within the reach of many.

mHT: David Söderberg (77.53) - chances: slim

With the way major HT comps (and qualifications) have turned out lately, 77.53 would rate him a some if he were a proven big meet guy... which he isn't. He said today he's strong in the rain.

(women in next post)

[LopenUupunut]

wMar: Leena Puotiniemi (2:35:54/'11) - chances: none

The one good thing that can be said here is that some have been inspired by a 36-year-old mother making the Olympics... actually achieving anything in there seems extremely unlikely.

wSteeple: Sandra Eriksson (9:43.38) - chances: none

She's traditionally done okay at big meets, but right now she doesn't have the major upside a spot in the final would require. She was the last to make the EC final, and even that only after a disqualification.

w20kW: Anne Halkivaha (1:37:05) - chances: none

She has progressed steadily but is still a long way from the top of the heap. No chances of a meaningful placing.

wPV: Minna Nikkanen (440) - chances: none

Sadly, it looks as if she's in her worst form in years. The lack of any domestic opponents seems to hurt.

wJT: Sanni Utriainen (59.31) - chances: none

The good news is that she's still improving, be it very slowly. Right now it seems unlikely she's the next big thing, and certainly she isn't a big thing right now.

Sadly, all five of our women rated a none... our men are much stronger by comparison, but even they have trouble on the world stage.

While I'm at it, an updated mJT formchart:

1. Vítězslav Veselý (Czech Republic)
2. Oleksandr Pyatnytsya (Ukraine)
3. Guillermo Martínez (Cuba)
4. Andreas Thorkildsen (Norway)
5. Genki Dean (Japan)
6. Igor Janik (Poland)
7. Jarrod Bannister (Australia)
8. Ari Mannio (Finland)
9. Tero Pitkämäki (Finland)
10. Roman Avramenko (Ukraine)

[croflash]

The men's JT is a complete crapshoot this year with so many of the big(ger) names struggling. Even Vesely, while the consistent of the bunch, is hardly performing at a great level. I think there are about 15 guys that could win a medal.

[Per Andersen]

The men's JT is a complete crapshoot this year with so many of the big(ger) names struggling. Even Vesely, while the consistent of the bunch, is hardly performing at a great level. I think there are about 15 guys that could win a medal.

You are right. Vesely seems to be fading a bit. Thorkildsen or del Zordo could maybe have managed 88 meteres in London but I doubt Thorkildsen will be able to throw that far . He is just back to throwing now. Maybe del Zordo can get back in time.

We won't see 90m since this is "Stadium Javelin". Zelezny holds the "record" with 92.80 (304-5) from Edmonton 2001.

[LopenUupunut]

The men's JT is a complete crapshoot this year with so many of the big(ger) names struggling. Even Vesely, while the consistent of the bunch, is hardly performing at a great level. I think there are about 15 guys that could win a medal.

You are right. Vesely seems to be fading a bit.

Agreed... and his qualifications at both Daegu and Helsinki were a bit touch-and-go. For all I put him at #1 I wouldn't be amazed if he went out in the Q!

Men's LJ is just as bad in this respect... impossible to pick the medalists.

[LopenUupunut]

New w100h NR for 19-year-old Nooralotta Neziri, 13.10 (-0.9) at the national U23 champs in Mikkeli Old NR was Hanna Korell's 13.13 from 2004.

[LopenUupunut]

Last meet of the Elite Games series was today at Joensuu... both Pitkämäki and Ruuskanen turned up only one day after Stockholm DL, the latter actually winning the series' main prize (which was only €10000 this year).

Jukka Keskisalo (who injured himself at London) announced his retirement today and had a short farewell ceremony on the infield.

m100:
1. Justyn Warner CAN 10.35 (-1.0)
6. Eero Haapala 10.79

mHT:
1. Sergey Litvinov RUS 77.25
2. David Söderberg 73.52

mJT:
1. Antti Ruuskanen 84.09
2. Lassi Etelätalo 82.40
3. Tero Pitkämäki 82.14
4. Ari Mannio 81.39

Ruuskanen had a very nice consistent series and seemed to get a bit more air below his throws than normally. Etelätalo must be the world's best 6th round thrower, again his by far best throw came in the last round (his second best was 78.86...) Pitkämäki had leg problems but his series as a whole was still better than yesterday. Mannio doesn't seem to be in his early shape anymore with the National Champs and the dual meet against Sweden still left... he almost always seems to peak early.

w1500:
1. Yelena Korobkina RUS 4:06.73
2. Zoe Buckman AUS 4:08.24
4. Johanna Lehtinen 4:11.83 (national leading time)

w100H:
1. Nikkita Holder CAN 13.01 (+0.3)
2. Nooralotta Neziri 13.13

wHJ:
1. Alesya Paklina RUS/KGZ 185 (one can't help thinking there must be some connection to Igor, but I can't find anything on it...)

Full results here.

[LopenUupunut]

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
4. Lassi Etelätalo 80.15

New PB for Ruuskanen, unless you count his sloping-ground 87.88 from 2007 SB for Mannio... both of them nailed it nicely in the final round. Pitkämäki was in the lead after 4 rounds (Ruuskanen threw 83.71 in round 5).

mHT:
1. Olli-Pekka Karjalainen 73.21

His 15th consecutive gold at Finnish Champs... with his worst winning mark. Previous worst was 75.08 from 1998 (when he was still 18!)

mLJ:
1. Roni Ollikainen 791
2. Eero Haapala 787
3. Tommi Evilä 771

w200:
1. Hanna-Maari Latvala 23.38 (+0.1)
2. Ella Räsänen 23.79

Big PB for Latvala, who also easily won the 100 and smashed Räsänen over the last 50 - even though the latter's supposedly a 400 specialist. #2 on FInnish lists after 2000 (Johanna Manninen had several faster times).

w800:
1. Karin Storbacka 2:06.09
2. Johanna Matintalo 2:07.43

This was Storbacka's first real competition this summer, she had her whole season spoiled by allergy problems (she's had them every year, and this was the worst pollen year in ages, so...) Matintalo is still only 15yo, but the downside is that she was also 2nd last year... in 2:05.87.

wSteeple:
1. Sandra Eriksson 9:57.72
2. Oona Kettunen 9:59.38

NJR for Kettunen (who was 7th at the World Juniors this year). Hopefully she can actually deliver on this promise - unlike so many others... The same athletes went 1-2 in the 5k, Eriksson winning with a 100m sprint in both cases.

wJT:
1. Oona Sormunen 59.14
2. Piia Pyykkinen 52.84
3. Sanni Utriainen 52.78

Utriainen (who made the final at Helsinki and represented us at London) has lately been in really very bad form. Sormunen dominated from the get-go (her worst throw was 54.64) and threw a new PB in the last round.

Utriainen is coached by her father Esa (a 90.94 thrower with the old model), while Sormunen is coached by Seppo Räty. I guess that just isn't enough...

wHJ:
1. Eleriin Haas 188
2. Elina Smolander 186

New PB for Smolander. Haas won both Estonian and Finnish championships in one week... with the same winning height!

Full results here.

[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.