Harala took full advantage of the low air resistance.
Lotta Harala’s fast hurdles record time of 12.85 in Switzerland got Iltalehti’s athletics expert Arto Bryggare excited.
Harala knocked 14 hundredths off his old record with a single throw.
Bryggare points out a fact that helped the amazing record improvement. The race venue of La Chaux-de-fonds was a suitable ground for making a top time.
– The race was run at a high level, which no one has noticed. The time was made in super conditions. Air resistance is lower when you are high up, says Bryggare.
– Of course, that does not remove the fact that Lotta is in surprisingly good shape.
Lotta Harala made a huge record improvement. Jussi Saarinen
The 1968 Olympics in Mexico showed the effect that high altitude has on results.
– Back then, the competition was even higher than Switzerland, and world records were set in almost all athletics. Except, of course, in endurance running, which was tougher due to the lack of oxygen.
In Bryggare’s opinion, Harala was one of the biggest Finnish winners of the day Samuel Purola, who clocked 20.75 in 200 meters in Switzerland. The time is convincing when you consider the headwind: 1.3 meters per second.
– From these results of the day, Purola’s time was probably very bad, Bryggare says.
The spear flew
The 20-year-old excelled in field sports Anni-Linnea Alanenwho nailed his new record of 62.45 at Pihtiputaa javelin carnival.
Bryggare predicts a bright future for the young thrower. The opportunity to make a name for yourself will come very soon, when the under-23 European Championships in athletics will be held in Espoo next week. Alanen is involved.
– The situation looks very good for him. He has much, much room for improvement.
Anni-Linnea Alase has the sky open. Jussi Saarinen
Alanen’s strength is the throwing performance itself. The stick flies out of the hand with really strong force.
– There is gunpowder in the hand. In javelin throwing, it is of course important to have a good hand. When he still gets the run going, he has the bangs for significantly longer throws, Bryggare estimates.
Fortunately, picking up speed is easier to get in shape than throwing.
– If it was up to running, then Jamaica would certainly have women’s 100-meter javelin throwers. But when it’s not about that. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce would certainly run hard to the throwing place, but you have to know how to throw it from the spear as well, says Bryggare.