The ranking system and the coldness of the eastern neighbors favor Finns. There are no fewer than 36 blue-and-white athletes at the World Championships in Athletics in Eugene.
Many Finnish athletes slipped through the loophole of the athletics ranking system into the World Championships in Eugene.
Finland has a record team of 36 athletes in the United States.
– Unfortunately, it cannot be said that Finland’s level is better than ever in the era of the World Cup, states Iltalehti’s athletics expert Arto Bryggare.
At the Stuttgart Games in 1993, Finland had the same number of athletes as it does now. In Helsinki’s home games in 1983 and 2005, there were even more blue and white players than in Eugene.
– Corona caused a situation where the ranking system was a bit distorted. In order to get ranking points, there must be a certain number of competitions. Around the world, there were a large number of athletes in the corona suit. They didn’t get results last fall and the beginning of the year when there were no competitions.
In previous years, the ranking competitions were progressed in a simple way based on the result limits. The system was reformed a few years ago due to, among other things, result manipulation by Belarus.
There are still pre-announced result limits, but alongside them, a ranking list somewhat similar to tennis was introduced. Based on the ranking points, athletes who have not made the result limit will advance to the prestigious competition.
– The ranking helps countries with more athletics culture and competitions were also organized in closed stands. Developing countries in South America and Asia have challenges when they don’t really get into international ranking competitions. On the other hand, with the application of ranking points, it was a bit easier for international athletes to come to Finland to compete in the early season of 2022.
The cooler helps
In Finland, under the leadership of Topi Raitanen, no less than 36 all-round athletes are participating in the World Championships in Eugene. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
The Finns’ way was also paved by the freezing of Russia and Belarus. The countries are closed from international athletics Vladimir Putin due to military operations.
– The ranking and these competition bans cause the level in Eugene to be a bit distorted – although not for the top. The stern softens a bit from what it was before. It gave Finland the opportunity to take a huge team there.
Last summer, the Russians won two medals in athletics at the Tokyo Olympic Games, and Belarus won one. In 2019, the Russians won six medals at the World Championships in Doha.
– Only a few potential medalists are missing, but there are several athletes in the following places.
Does it make sense?
Many Finns get cold water down their necks in the United States. Jussi Saarinen
Based on preliminary estimates, the Finnish team has half of the athletes who are not involved beyond the preliminary competition.
– It will be a tough ride for many Finns. I hope that the World Cup gig will not have a negative effect on the European Championship, which for many of them is the number one thing of the season. I see the risk that when there is a 10-hour time difference, it’s not a naps-naps thing to prepare and come first to the Kaleva Games and then to the European Championships.
Does it make sense for an EC-level athlete to go to the United States?
– If it is a question of a young athlete, it may be that this step is worth taking. Athletes who have already seen the world a little, I would have liked them to focus on the European Championships. If the World Cup were in this time zone, the situation would be completely different, Bryggare answers.
What do you expect from Finnish athletes?
– Expectations are quite low. Even one medal is a positive thing. Unfortunately, we have fallen to fourth place in the Nordics as well. It’s not huge in athletics.
Kristiina Mäkelä is one of the Finns who advanced to the World Championships thanks to the ranking. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP