Iltalehti follows the events of the Roman Diamond League in this story.
MTV’s long-time sports reporter turned 60 on Wednesday Mika Saukkonen was in dire straits on Thursday at Italy’s Stadio Olimpico.
Saukkonen and athletics expert Tommi Evilä had gone on a business trip to the Diamond League competition, as Maikkari owns the TV rights to the athletics series in Finland.
The gentlemen had to explain the events over the phone.
– The Italians can’t get the technology right, Saukkonen said at the beginning of the broadcast.
Mika Saukkonen turned 60 years old. Stock photo. Santtu Silvennoinen
The technical problems did not let up during the 120-minute live broadcast.
Saukkonen and Evilä handled the job with routine, but the voices of the gentlemen coming from the receivers reminded me of sports events broadcast from abroad to Finland in the 1980s – the sound came as if from a well, and sometimes it disappeared completely.
– It hurt and it happened in the commentary, but we got to the end, Saukkonen commented at the end of the broadcast.
Emma is number one
Emma Zapletalova ran the Slovakian record in the 400 meter hurdles. PDO
Emma Zapletalová26, shattered the world record in the 400m hurdles at the Rome Diamond League on Thursday night. Last Sunday in Rabat, the woman who took the first diamond series race victory of her career stopped the clocks in the Eternal City at 52.58 seconds.
The Slovakian’s story to the top of the world is special. The former handball player ended up in athletics at the age of 14.
At the Under-20 World Championships in Tampere in 2018, he was fifth.
– It was a turning point in my career. I realized that I can become something, Zapletalová has said.
A violent twist
Shortly after the Tampere gig, the woman fell ill with glandular fever. He was on the sidelines for a month’s shopping.
In the U23 series, he won European Championship gold in Tallinn in 2021 with a time of 54.38 seconds. Finland Viivi Lehikoinen was fourth in the same event (55.42).
After the title, the tormenting health problems began: in the 2022 season, only two starts, the 2023 season completely on the sidelines, and two summers ago, three starts.
The Slovakian rose to the forefront of the world last season, when he returned home from the World Championships in Tokyo in September with a bronze medal around his neck.
Norski snarled
Henriette Jaeger is a Norwegian 400 meter runner. PDO
Norwegian Henriette Jaeger22, amazes time and time again. At the Stadio Olimpico, the third Diamond League competition victory of her career was achieved, when the woman was first in the 400 meters with a time of 49.60 seconds. Vuonomaa’s record is 11 hundredths better.
The Italian audience got manna when Leonardo Fabbri washed the yankee pushers. Saapasmaa’s winning result in the men’s shot put was 22.14 meters.
Nineteen times winner of the Diamond League competition – most recently last Sunday in Rabat – Joe Kovacs came second with a result of 21.87. Grandmaster of the sport Ryan Crouser still struggling. Three starts in the diamond series this season, and no wins yet. On Thursday, the reigning Olympic champion and world champion was third (21.50).
Seipää shook
Molly Caudery is on a roll. PDO
In the women’s pole vault Wilma Heltelän the main European opponents were under attack. Briton Molly Caudery won with a score of 480 cents and Switzerland Angelica Moser was third with the same result, but with a worse protocol.
The Australian Olympic champion and world champion wedged between the two Europeans Nina Kennedy.
The third tough European Tina Sutej was fourth. The Slovenian’s result was 470 centimeters.
Heltelä, who used a speed of barely 12 steps, jumped 456 centimeters on Wednesday at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku.
Tinsel stars outside
Megan Simmonds took the opening win of her career in the Diamond League. PDO
This season’s top women in the world were not seen in the 100-meter hurdles in the evening in Rome Masai Russel and Tobi Amusania. Also world champion Ditaji Kampundji was on the sidelines.
Pinko to win the competition Megan Simmonds (12.50 seconds). It was the Jamaican 2021 Olympic bronze medalist’s first career first place in the Diamond League.
The breeze during Thursday’s storm was 0.8 meters per second.
The US champion raced to second place Kendra Harrison (12.54) and third by the Netherlands Nadine Visser (12.58).
Seven times Ethiopia
Likina Amebaw is number one in the 5,000 meters. PDO
The women’s 5,000 meters saw an exceptional list of results, as no fewer than seven first runners are Ethiopians. 18 athletes ran to the finish line.
The strongest competition was held between the members of the East African state Like Amebaw. He clocked the world’s top result this season in 14:18.41. It is a woman’s personal record and first victory in the Diamond League.
In the men’s 110 meter hurdles, USA Trey Cunningham27, ran a world season-best 12.98 seconds. The result is also a competition record and a personal record. The tailwind was 0.5 meters per second.
The win is the 2022 World Cup silver medalist’s second career in the Diamond League.