Athletics | Toni Keränen fell out of the grants but got her life back in shape: “The boiling has not stopped”

Spear Promise Toni Keränen threw the youth Finnish record in the 15- and 17-year-old series. At the age of 20, Keränen already raced almost 79 meters. Since then, the development in the awareness of the spear people has been anything but straightforward.

The next four years included several elbow surgeries, but no new records.

Breaking the ghost line of 80 meters in 2022 and repeating the trick the following season was not enough to drive the Finns crazy.

“I like that others take the attention and I can focus on my own work,” says Keränen.

The long-term work done in the background of the brightest spear stars culminated in Turku’s summer evening at the Paavo Nurmi Games last week.

26-year-old Keränen improved his record to 84.19 and was the best Finn in the competition. Among other things, a recent EC medalist was left behind Oliver Helander.

“Clichély, it hit those things better,” says Keränen about the record-breaking throw.

“I dared to run hard and stop hard.”

According to Keränen, the record-breaking condition has been made possible by avoiding back packs as well as balance and clarity in life.

Keränen, who studies at the University of Oulu, returned his bachelor’s thesis in the spring, which has made it easier to focus on the competition season.

Corpuscle has come into the spotlight of the sports world with the EC final pack and Turku’s top throw. Athletics experts Lauri Hollo and Mika Järvinen believe that the performances are sufficient for the Olympic place in Paris, and the javelin selection is not expected to be as hectic as in many previous years.

Speculated to be the toughest challenger Toni Kuusela was still eligible for selection a week ago based on the ranking. However, now Kuusela has narrowly fallen out of the ranking.

“I don’t really think that others threaten Kerä anymore. The only thing would be if Kuusela throws one straight ghost throw that crosses the competition line in the Kaleva Games,” says Hollo.

Suffering from health concerns, Kuusela’s best of the season is a modest 76.34, but the record 85.03 shows the man’s potential.

The time limit for collecting ranking points and making the result limit closes on Sunday, the same day as the men’s javelin final at the Kaleva Games in Vaasa.

Kuusela has been on the podium of the Kaleva Games for five years in a row with a throw of over 82 meters, so she will certainly not give up the Olympic place to her namesake without a fight.

Keränen himself believes that one of the Finns will beat the straight Olympic limit of 85.50 in Vaasa. If it were about any other country, Keränen would dare to be sure of his Olympic place.

“The stove is still on, the boiling has not stopped,” comments Keränen about the Finnish spear soup.

Petteri Piironen the coachee does not want to put himself under great pressure or result goals. Instead of a long individual arc, Keränen would hope to be able to stabilize his level.

“In the last games, it has seemed that 80 meters does not require miracles. In previous years, it has required top success.”

“The throw of dreams has yet to be thrown.”

Corpuscle says that he was able to chase his dream without compromise, despite falling out of the grants from the Ministry of Education and Culture.

In 2023, Keränen’s name could still be found on the list of grant recipients, but this year funding for the expenses of elite sports has had to be found elsewhere.

“Last year I threw 80 meters, but I had just come from the operating table. That’s why I might have justified the grant for this year as well,” says Keränen.

“But it has gone well without it.”

In the opinion of experts Järvinen and Hollo, Keränen did not feel wronged by being left out of the grants.

“An 82-meter thrower shouldn’t be very high on scholarships at least if he’s an adult. With some adults, we have sometimes been too lazy,” says Järvinen.

Keränen says that his financial situation has been eased by lucky coincidences. For example, flexible remote work for partners has filled the hole left by the ministry’s grant decision.

Keränen considers working to be a pleasant hobby and a factor that gives rhythm to everyday life, which he would continue even if he received a grant in the future.

“If I interpret the criteria, it should be pretty close for next year,” says Keränen.

Among the experts, Hollo believes that it will be enough if Keränen’s basic level rises to the 83–85 meter range. According to Järvinen’s estimate, the Finnish javelin thrower will receive the full 20,000 euro scholarship pot if he throws in the Olympic final.

At the Tokyo Olympics, 85.44 was enough for bronze, 83.28 for first place and 82.40 for the final.

“If it goes well with the javelin, then after the Kaleva Games, you have a month to prepare to throw far,” says Keränen.