European champion Wilma Murto won the Finnish pole vault with a score of 464. In the competition, she got to test her poles going to the World Championships.
Lahti
Sun and the heat softened the final day of the Kaleva Games in Lahti. Returned as the Finnish pole vault champion after one gap year Wilma Murto was pleased when the final was postponed from Saturday’s downpour to the following day.
According to Murto, the decision was justified by the fact that the World Championships are close, which is why some of the athletes were still chasing ranking points and others, like Murto himself, were still making their last moves for the prestigious competitions.
“It was more stress-free to jump today,” Murto smiled.
On the other hand, Murto has noticed a phenomenon in the postponement of the Games that he does not like.
“In my opinion, it is becoming more common to go to the hall or postpone the race during the day. I think it is perhaps a bit of a strange phenomenon. Yes, you can jump even in bad weather, of course it has its place. If there are unnecessary risks, of course you shouldn’t take them.”
He tweeted at the time of the under-23 European Championship in Espoo, that he thinks there is no need to postpone or cancel the pole vault every time it rains or is windy.
Murto now explained that behind it was a conversation with one of his competitors in the European Championships. In Espoo, the men’s pole vault qualification was postponed to the next morning due to heavy rain.
“This jumper was quite angry that the competition was postponed. We could have waited for better weather rather than reschedule, but it is always situational.”
The five-time Finnish champion himself said that he is good at jumping in the rain.
“If the weather is bad, there was a headwind in London too, so I can do relatively well in that. That’s when my strengths come out. I am strong for running and not as small as many jumpers. A gust of wind or a drop of water doesn’t sway me that much.”
For example, in the pole vault qualification in Tokyo, Murto made it to the finals, even though the competition was held in rough weather. At that time, qualifying was interrupted for more than an hour due to heavy rain.
In Lahti Murto used his new wings. He didn’t count exactly how many instruments he got to try out, but estimated that the number was five or six.
“There was no negative feedback about those seats, they feel good and safe. With them, you dare to start building the continuation of the season.”
Murto easily exceeded his winning score of 464. There was plenty of air between the rim and the jumper.
Murto continued with the same fence from the next height 473, but the first two attempts remained in limbo. The last attempt was good, but the bar fell.
“It went through a bit, which means that it should have been changed to a bigger one. They say that when you get that information in the last attempt, it doesn’t really help.”
Burglary would have liked to be able to try jumps even higher, but emphasized that the most important thing in the Kaleva Games is the color of the medal.
He made an effort for the SM silver Saga Andersson with a result of 440 and for bronze Elina Lampela 430 over. Murto would have needed a tougher competition situation so that the following heights would have been possible.
Before the World Championships, Murto jumps one more competition in Germany.
He prepares for the value competitions with a calm mind. At last year’s European Championships, Murto jumped a new Finnish record of 485. In his previous competition in the London Diamond League, the jumper from Salon Vilppaa got to try the new SE height of 486.
The new SE is completely possible in Budapest.
“It’s such a feeling that you could try SE readings and it was really nice to be able to try them there in London. At least I strongly believe in it.”
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