Wilma Murto, who won the sensational EC gold with the new, wonderful SE 485, dazzled already in the middle of the last decade.
Sari’s mother was waiting at the airport when the new ME athlete Wilma Murto returned home in the winter of 2016. JOONAS SALMELA
- Wilma Murto jumped under 20 ME 471 in winter 2016.
- Iltalehti followed the top promise’s career closely even before that.
The first article can be found in Iltalehti’s text archive Wilma from Murro on 2 February 2015, when he was 16 years old:
Pole vaulter Wilma Murto broke the wind at the Varsinais-Suomen dressage championships in Turku on Saturday, when she made her record 431.
Wilma Murto (left), Minna Nikkanen and Elina Lampela at the Elite Games info in Helsinki on June 2, 2015. Jussi Eskola
It was a tough result for the young pole vaulter, and a year later he let us know more about himself:
17-year-old Wilma Murto, who set a new record and at the same time a new Finnish record for under-23-year-olds 455 at the indoor games held in Turku, is aiming for the top. The pole vaulter, who has become the hottest prospect in the Finnish athletics world with his sensational development of results, already set a new world record for 19-year-olds on Sunday, when the bar fell from a height of 465 after a truly failed attemptIltalehti wrote on 18 January 2016.
– Such a feeling that it can still be exceeded this seasonMurto told Iltalehte.
During the year, Murto has gained speed and increased strength in his upper body, which combined Jarno Koivunen coaching has produced resultsIltalehti gave the background.
When talking about long-term goals, Murto doesn’t slow down, but blazes forth brightly:
– I want to jump five meters sometimes, and it’s always nice to do well at the World Championships and the Olympics. Of course, it would always be nice to be the best sometimesMurto said in the same story.
The new ME
Wilma Murto photographed in training at the Turku sports hall in April 2016. Roni Lehti
The real shock came a couple of weeks later.
The breakneck pace continues! Iltalehti headlined 1 February 2016.
Wilma Murrosta has grown into Finland’s most promising all-around athlete during this winter. The latest proof of the pole vaulter’s talents was seen in Zweibrücken, Germany.
Murto, who broke his record height of 455 two weeks ago, went to yesterday’s competition with the goal of jumping the new world record of 465 for 19-year-olds. With that jump, his training partner would also improve Minna Nikkanen Finnish record (460).
455 was passed on the third attempt, I struggled. It seemed that 17-year-old Murto was perhaps not yet ready to rise to new spheres. However, changing Seipää to one a notch stronger did wonders. 465 crossed on the first jump!
Still, Murto wasn’t ready to stop playing. The bar was raised to a height of 471 centimeters – a height never seen before for a Finnish woman.
Murto picked up speed, lowered the fence into the hole and bent. The speed was enough to cross the bar, and soon Murto was already lying on his back on the jumping mattress.
– Feeling quite incredulous. Didn’t really understand what had happened. It was a really good feeling, of course, Murto times the mood.
With the age group ME result, Murro’s record has improved by 31 cents from a year ago.
The next day, Iltalehti met the young star at Helsinki-Vantaa airport:
Wilma Murto hit the Finnish athletics nation once and for all. And get a proper reception right away.
A 17-year-old ME athlete arrives in the lobby smiling. Flash lights are flashing, SUL’s head of coaching Jorma Kemppainen offers a bouquet of flowers and a warm hug. The new diamond of Finnish athletics will have to get used to this in the future, if the development continues in the previous model.
Seiväskometta patiently distributes interviews and recounts his big moment.
– Yes, it’s slowly starting to spread itself, that something was done, says Murto.
Even these readings are still not enough for Murru. The goal is wild, right there Yelena Isinbayeva on high.
What does the pair of words “five meters” bring to your mind now?
– Sometimes! Sometimes I skip it.
Wilma Murto and coach Jarno Koivunen (center) in training at the Turku sports hall in April 2016. Roni Lehti