Tero Pitkämäki's acrobatics in Lappeenranta (© Paula Noronen)
Finland have made seven preselections ahead of next summer’s 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15 to 23 Aug 2009).
With Olympic bronze medallist Tero Pitkämäki also being the reigning World champion, Finland can select a total of four men to contest the Javelin Throw in Berlin, and the federation have elected to pre-select both Pitkämäki, and Olympic fourth placer Tero Järvenpää for the Berlin squad.
The other notable athletes who have been given the early call-up for Berlin are European 3000m Steeplechase champion Jukka Keskisalo, and European Hammer Throw silver medallist Olli-Pekka Olli-Pekka Karjalainen, who was fourth in Beijing.
The pre-selections are completed by marathon runner Francis Kirwa and two 50km race walkers, Antti Kempas and Jarkko Kinnunen.
Chris Turner for the IAAF