Finnish Squad travel to Sydney for site visit and training
Chris Turner
12 November, 1999 - Two world junior champions, three 20m shot putters and two 85m plus javelin throwers are among the sixteen strong party of Finnish athletes who will travel to Sydney at the end of this month for a three week site visit (21/11 - 13/12/99) in preparation for next year’s Olympics.
The trip which is being funded by the Finnish Olympic Committee sees all but the very top stars of Finnish athletics visiting Australia. Heli Rantanen, the reigning Olympic javelin, Aki Parviainen the 1999 World javelin champion and Eduard Hamalainen the 1997 World decathlon silver medallist are the most notable absentees, along with past world champions Valentin Kononen (1995 50k) & Mika Halvari (1995 indoor shot).
Despite these missing stars, the Finnish visitors can still boast two current world junior champions in the hammer sensation Olli-Pekka Karjalainen and decathlete Aki Heikkinen. Sini Poyry, the women’s World junior silver medallist is the other hammer thrower in the party. Joining Heikkinen from the multi events is world junior decathlon bronze medallist Jaako Ojaniemi and Seville heptathlon 5th placer, Tiia Hautala.
The specialist throwing disciplines are also well represented by three 20m shot putters Timo Aaltonen, Arsi Harju and Finnish champion Ville Tiisanoja. Mikaela Ingberg, 1998 European bronze medallist and Taina Uppa, 1994 world junior champion, make up the javelin contingent on the women’s side. The men’s trio is Kimmo Kinnunen the 1991 World champion, Harri Haatainen the European U23 champion and Juha Laukkanen.
Runners are not forgotten either with Annemari Sandell, the 1999 World short course XC bronze medallist, 400m hurdler Petra Sodertrom and 800m man (ex kenyan) Wilson Kirwa making the trip. The only notable Finnish runners missing are Samuli Vasala (5k), Janne Holmen the European U23 10,000m silver medallist and women’s 800m national champion Tytti Reho.
