Jarno Koivunen is a man of short championship congratulations.
Wilma Murto showed her stretching ability in the evening in Istanbul. EPA/AOP
Wilma Murto won the EC gold in indoor pole vaulting in Istanbul on Saturday evening.
Mittelö’s quest for gold reached a critical stage when Murto had fallen twice from a height of 475. A third failure would have meant the championship for Slovenia For Tina Sutej.
Coach Jarno Koivunen and Murto gave advice on choosing a stick. Koivunen’s vision was to continue in the same way, but Murto wanted to dig out the Munich gold cup from his bag.
– It’s a bit of a risk to always change to the last one, but Wilma was of the opinion that she can change it to a bigger one. The jumper’s word is the law, Koivunen tells Iltalehti.
– The exchange went very well. First went over 470 on the last and then went on to go over 480 on his first.
It decided the championship for the 24-year-old Finn, because Sutej failed in the rest of his jumps.
Soon for new chapters
Koivunen summarized that Finland’s record and European Championship gold came with “fundamentally reliable” performance.
– Such a good race. It went according to plan. Quite a good performance.
The laconic style is also used with Murro. The championship congratulations came succinctly in one word: nuin.
– It was the same as what I said in Munich. Then it came by accident. I then decided to continue with the same trick. Nothing else was needed, he laughs.
For new chapters
With his coach, Murto refines technique and settings with longer wings. With the championship decided, he used the two remaining attempts to a lofty height of 491 in an attempt to break by a cent Yelena Isinbayeva hall record, but it wasn’t time yet.
According to Koivunen, getting into the 490 club is only a matter of time.
– If it had hit that jump today, it could have gone today. The next attempt will be in the summer. I hope to go there then.
Murto disappeared after the race for a doping test, but Koivunen hoped to meet his protégé later in the evening.
However, the night of Istanbul will not be experienced.
– Today I woke up at five in the morning for the men’s qualifying, so I think that the best part of my celebration is getting to the hotel and to bed. That’s probably for the best at this point. There is hardly any electricity, says Koivunen.
– The best party is when the race goes well. This race event is one party, so that’s enough for me.