Sport|Athletics European Championships
There were wild emotions in the jumping final, when the Ukrainian won and the Israeli, who remembered the 1972 Munich massacre, was third.
Munich
EC athletics triple jump silver felt Kristiina Mäkelä as from victory.
He had been waiting for years for the moment late on Friday night when he could wrap the Finnish flag around himself.
“I am so relieved. I feel empty and full at the same time, if that’s possible,” Mäkelä said after finally getting in front of the Finnish writing media after the TV interviews.
Mäkelä jumped 14 meters and 64 centimeters with his second, which he improved Senni Salminen of the old SE income for cents. In the first EC final of his career, Salminen was seventh with a result of 14.13.
Ukraine became European champion Maryna Beh’-Romanchuk15.02.
In the leapfrog final there was a lot of emotion involved. The public embraced the Ukrainian jumper because of the state of war in the country.
The Israeli jumped to the bronze Hanna Minenko (14.45) cried for joy. In 1972, at the Olympic Games in Munich, there was an attack by Palestinian terrorists, in which eleven Israeli athletes died.
The incident is known as the Munich massacre.
“And for me, this was the first competition medal. Wonderful, a lot of work has been done for this. What could be better than that and I got the Finnish record for the first time”, said Mäkelä.
in the World Cup In Eugene, Mäkelä was ninth in the final. He was in the same place in the previous two European Championships in 2016 and 2018.
“Now everything fell into place: the coach (Tuomas Sallinen), physical fitness and mental growth. A feeling of love came for the same race. It was a great atmosphere and the nerves held. I decided not to spoil this by messing around, which the first jump was (14.01).”
Heli Koivula jumped at the same stadium in Munich 20 years ago in a strong wind for European silver with a wild result of 14.83.
Mäkelä was ten years old then and does not remember Koivula’s jumps.
“At that time, we didn’t follow athletics,” said Mäkelä, who started the sport as a basketball player.
Senni Salminen had only one successful jump, 14.13. The others were overcrowded.
“Jumping was a bit forced. The run didn’t really come and the wind affected quite a lot. Matti (coach Matti Mononen) said that everyone is in the game,” Salminen said.
Salminen lost his Finnish record to Mäkelä by a cent, which he promised to take back.
“Centric for centimeter, that’s for sure. I’m really happy for Kristiina.”
Top Raitanen ran as European champion during the lap of honor. Finnish jumpers used to hug him between jumps.
“It was a great moment,” Salminen said.
Read more: “I’m going to do what I can” – breaking the Finnish record was Kristiina Mäkelä’s goal back in July, now it’s a reality
Read more: Sports boss Sami Itani promised to resign if there is no EC medal – HS evaluates which Finns can save him
Read more: Joy shone from Senni Salminen’s face, finally at the final: “Aijai, I could sing and dance”
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