Wilma Murto jumped to become European champion. The coach advised to finish the race at 480.
Wilma Murto won the EC pole vault gold in Munich on Wednesday. He jumped three Finnish records in the final – of which the 485, surpassed already after the championship was secured, remained valid.
At the same time, the 20-year medal-free streak of Finnish track and field women was broken.
The previous Finnish woman who won a prestigious medal in athletics is Heli Kruger (née Koivula), who won European triple jump silver just in Munich 2002.
– The bottom has been seen during my value racing career. It was said in Berlin that Finnish athletics has never done so badly. I have seen and heard how the team roars back up, Murto was happy.
Wilma Murto grew into a champion after stormy years. PASI LEISMA
Murto came to the attention of the general public after jumping the Finnish record and the under-20 world record of 471 in the January 2016 indoor competition. He improved his outdoor track record from 435 centimeters to 450 in the same summer.
The Junior World Championship and European Championship bronze came.
Instead, the pole talent had to wait for the success in the adult competition. According to Murro, faith was sometimes tested.
– My team has believed in me, even though I myself have questioned whether I can do this. Someone has always reminded me of my potential.
Now the SE woman looks at her career through different glasses.
– Already at the age of 17, I knew that a pole vaulter is probably closer to 30 than 20 years old. I knew the journey was long. As an athlete, I was raw back then.
– It was painful. Now I understand that there might not have been a reason for that.
The coach tried to deny
Murto jumped the new SE. Pasi Liesimaa
Murto was seventh in the final at the European Championships in Amsterdam in 2016. At the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the European Championships in Berlin and the World Championships in Doha, he swallowed bitter lime after failing to qualify.
The streak ended last year, when the Finnish star jumped sixth in the indoor European Championships and was tied for fifth place at the Tokyo Olympics. In this summer’s World Championships, the ranking was sixth.
– Eugene was a good experience. It felt like I was better than ever.
In Munich, Murto was cheered on by practically all of his close relatives. The commotion near the pole position was loud.
– A voice was heard and encouragement was felt. All the more reason, even if I win World Cup gold or Olympic gold, it’s hard to improve on this. There are sporting goals. The feeling will not be repeated unless they plan another trip.
The championship laughed. PASI LEISMA
Murto secured the gold with a score of 480. He wanted to try one notch higher because he felt he was in good shape.
– The coach showed that not anymore. I still wanted to jump. I felt like I could cross the line.
Right after the final, Murto didn’t know how to celebrate his championship. However, he believed that the rain of medals from Munich would not be one.
– I don’t think I’m the only Finn who will come home with a medal.
Murto gets a gold medal at Thursday’s award ceremony.