17-year-old Tuomas Laaksonen in Turku (© Mirko Jalava)
Finland sends a team of 15 athletes to the 5th IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic later this month. The small team only includes one runner, one walker and the other 13 are all throwers. It comes as no surprise that the medal hopes come in the Javelin Throw.
In the boys side world leading 17-year-old Tuomas Laaksonen with a 78.62m throw on Sunday in Turku, is the best medal hope.
16-year-old Carita Hinkka has set the national Youth record 53.48m this season and is sixth on the World Youth Javelin list. In the men’s Hammer Throw Kai Räsänen has thrown 73.10m and in the Shot Severi Uusitalo has put 19.16m.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
Finnish team: name, club, season best
Men
10km Race Walk
Veli-Matti "Aku" Partanen Lappeenrannan Urheilu-Miehet 45.28.
Shot (5 kg):
Juha-Matti Leivo Lapin Lukko. Rovaniemi 18.96.
Severi Uusitalo Humppilan Yri 19.16.
Discus (1.5 kg):
Pyry Niskala Nurmon Urheilijat -99 56.48.
Hammer (5 kg):
Kai Räsänen Pyhäselän Urheilijat 73.10.
Javelin (700 g):
Tuomas Laaksonen Turun Urheiluliitto 78.62
Joonas Verronen Himangan Urheilijat 70.91.
Women
100m Hurdles:
Matilda Bogdanoff Riihimäen Kisko 13.79 (13.65w).
Shot:
Katri Hirvonen Tohmajärven Urheilijat 12.53.
Johanna Salmela Kokkolan Veikot 13.18.
Discus:
Katri Hirvonen Tohmajärven Urheilijat 44.36 (PB 44.87 -06).
Hammer:
Jonna Miettinen Maaningan Mahti 52.20.
Johanna Salmela Kokkolan Veikot 51.93.
Javelin:
Carita Hinkka Riihimäen Kisko 53.48.
Sini Kiiski Laitilan Jyske 49.91 (PB 51.57 -06).
