Joni Hava became the champion of Finland in a special competition in Joensuu.
Joni Hava walked to silver last year. This year, the medal brightened to gold. Jussi Saarinen/AOP
Joni Hava23, walked on Thursday in the Kaleva Games in Joensuu as the 20 kilometer Finnish champion.
The competition was special, because just getting to the finish line was enough to get a SM medal. There were only three athletes. Jerry Jokinen took silver, Jaakko Määttänen walked to bronze.
Among other things, a valuable competition visitor Aleksi Ojala canceled his participation due to injury at the last minute.
– More had participated, but the crowd dropped out in the last moments. It’s a bummer. The sport is small anyway, so I would hope that there would be a good crowd at the Kaleva Games so that the sport would gain visibility, Hava regrets.
Hava, who celebrated her first 20-kilometer SM gold, ran away from her competitors early on and clocked her new record of 1:23.54.
Because the walker of Espoo’s Tapios rose to sixth place in Finland’s all-time statistics, overtaking the SE walker Aku Partanen. The sports legend, who ended his career last year, Jarkko Kinnusen the peak time was only one minute away.
– The record improvement was expected when the exercises have gone really well. At the end, I had to watch the technique a bit, when there were two red (warnings) on the board. At some point I got nervous with the technique, I didn’t focus enough, Hava commented.
Jarkko Kinnunen ended his career last year. Jussi Saarinen/AOP
In her career, Hava has won silver and bronze in the 20 kilometer walk. Last year, he was eighth in the under-23 European Championship on the same trip.
Kävelijapaupas clocked four minutes faster than Kinnunen in 20 kilometers under the age of 23.
– It’s great to get close to Jarkko. I hope it’s over. He has been a great role model for me. It’s great to get the same readings.
Terrible start
Joni Hava wants Jarkko Kinnusen’s time over. Jussi Saarinen/AOP
Hava discovered walking as a sport in 2013. The first encounter was not pleasant.
– I was in walking training for the first time. It wasn’t a nice thing at first, it actually felt pretty horrible, Hava laughs.
– When successes and experiences came, the sport felt like its own thing. I wanted to develop.
Hava achieved her big goal this week when she was selected for the first adult competition of her career. At the European Championships in Munich, he puts on a blue and white outfit during a 20-kilometer walk.
– Must be satisfied. But you don’t just go to participate, you make a good result.
Finland’s previous medal for walking was from 1995. At that time Valentin Kononen won the 50 km world championship.
Kononen is also in Hava’s background team.
– “Vallu” certainly has a recipe for how to get back there (the medal base). We are training hard to get there. A prize medal is definitely one of the goals, Hava nails it.
After all, competing doesn’t feel as bad as before.
– When you’re in good shape, you can enjoy yourself, even if you feel a little bad.