Finland's Tero Pitkamaki scores a convincing win in Oslo Golden League (© Getty Images)
Finland’s European Javelin Throw silver medallist Tero Pitkämäki opened his 2007 season this afternoon on a high note with a narrow victory - 87.78 to 87.24m - over his arch rival Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, the Olympic and European champion, in Kuortane, Finland.
The throws were the second and fourth longest in the world so far this season.
The javelin runway based at the national high performance training centre in Kuortane, which is an IAAF Accredited Training Centre, is a renowned venue for the discipline. The second (Aki Parvainen FIN – 93.09m, 1999), fifth (Konstadinós Gatsioúdis GRE – 91.69m, 2000) and seventh (Pitkämäki FIN - 91.53m, 2005) best throwers of all-time have set their PBs in Kuortane.
Andreas Thorkildsen, 25, and Tero Pitkämäki, 24, are looking to inherit the impressive mantle of Czech legend Jan Zelezny, the three-time World and Olympic champion, who retired last year, and their battles have dominated the last two season’s world lists. Thorkildsen is the sixth longest thrower of all-time (91.59m – 2006) a position he took from Pitkämäki last season.
While today’s ‘javelin only’ meet in Kuortane was the Finnish champion’s first event of 2007, the Norwegian had already thrown competitively on two occasions this summer with wins in Dakar (81.10m - 28 April) and Doha (86.39 – 11 May).
The competition was decided in the very first round with both throwers bests coming with their opening efforts. Pitkämäki backed-up with 86.60m with his second release and a fourth round 85.00m, while Thorkilden’s next longest attempts were all below that sector line. Pitkämäki finished the competition with an 84.48m throw.
Third place was taken by Teemu Wirkkala, 23, the 2003 European Junior champion with 84.06m, a sizeable improvement to his personal best (82.82m - 2006). Fourth place was held by 2006 World Junior silver medallist Ari Mannio, with 80.31m.
Pitkämäki’s win today gives him the edge over Thorkildsen in terms of their overall career histories with the Finn having 13 victories to Norwegian’s 12 in their competitions together.
The two throwers will meet again in Oslo, Norway on 15 June for ExxonMobil Bislett Games, the opening of the IAAF Golden League, where among others they will face Breaux Greer, America's new record holder (90.71m), who is the current world season's leader.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
RESULTS - (FIN unless stated)
Kuortane, Finland - 3 June 2007
1. Tero Pitkämäki 87.78m (87.78, 86.60, x, 85.00, x, 84.48),
2. Andreas Thorkildsen NOR 87.24m, (87.24, 84.13, 83.37, x, x, x),
3. Teemu Wirkkala 84.06m
4. Ari Mannio 80.31m
5. Viljo Toivanen 77.67m
6. Kalle Sillanpää 77.17m
7) Mikko Löppönen 75.96m
8) Jarkko Koski-Vähälä UllavKi 75.91m