The European champion is not yet sure if he has the mental strength to compete in the Diamond League for the rest of the season.
Shortly after Top Raitanen crossed the finish line after Friday’s EC final, he beat his chest, showed his biceps, hugged his competitors, froze in place and covered his face with his hands.
What were you thinking at that moment when you covered your face?
– I went through whether this is real. I am the European champion in the finish line, what should I do next? Someone shouted to get a ticket. Then I applied. You can’t prepare for something like that, Raitanen says.
He already announced in 2020 in Iltalehti’s story that he plans to take the EC medal from Munich 2022.
– It has been exciting to wait. I was in really good shape in 2020, that year I ran my record, and I was hoping that there would be Olympic and European Championships. We waited a couple of years for that opportunity. Now it really warms my heart.
Is the Diamond League calling?
Topi Raitanen pounded his chest at the finish line. PASI LEISMA
Then he showed his biceps. PASI LEISMA
The Finn’s 3,000-meter record of 8:16.57 was created in the Diamond League of Monaco in August 2020. This season, it would be possible to go on a record hunt for the supposed speed runs of the Diamond League of Lausanne or Zurich.
– I have an open place in the Diamond League. Last year, after the Tokyo Olympics, there wasn’t exactly the eye of the tiger. I’m in good shape, but a race like that requires mental preparation.
From the mental preparation, I remembered that were Raitanen’s racing partners fully aware of the Finn’s abilities or could he surprise others with his abilities like Janne Holmén in the EC marathon in 2002? For example, would it have been worth it for the Italians to poison the Finn’s squeamishness with a faster speed?
– Many have known me after Tokyo at the latest. I don’t think that my performance came as a surprise to anyone, Raitanen, who was in the eighth Olympic final with the second best time of his career with 8:17.44 a year ago, answers.
Until he froze in place and covered his face with his hands. PASI LEISMA