Tero Pitkämäki (FIN) at the Helsinki press conference to announce the new sponsorship (© SUL)
The 'GE Money Grand Prix' takes place in the the Finnish capital’s 1952 Olympic stadium on Monday 25 July, the warm-up event for the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics which take place from 6 – 14 August in the same venue.
Having secured a three year sponsorship deal in May of this year with GE Money financing corporation to become the title sponsor of the IAAF Grand Prix meeting, this fixture one of the oldest on the one day circuit and which used to be known as the ‘World Games’, has secured a bright future.
Click here for previous story about the sponsorship deal
Matching that new financial vitality and at the same moment giving a real time test to the newly refurbished stadium which has acquired a back straight roof and a brand new Mondo track in the last year, the Helsinki Grand Prix, on the eve of the final qualification deadline for the World Championships has attracted an impressive field.
Burns, Brown, Campbell in the sprints…
Trinidad and Tobago’s sub-10 second sprint pair, Marc Burns (9.96) and Darrel Brown (9.99) head the men’s 100m line-up, and there is another Caribbean ace in the women’s 100m, where Olympic 200m gold and 100m bronze medallist Veronica Campbell of Jamaica will be the star. Campbell is the IAAF World Ranked number one at both 100m and 200m.
Over the barriers in the women’s 400m Hurdles will go Americans Sheena Johnson, 22, the Olympic Games 4th placer, and Sandra Glover, 36, the World Championships silver medallist last time out. Sadly, Jana Pittman, the World champion from Australia has had to withdrawal due to a back injury.
Click here for previous story about Pittman
Phillips takes on local hope
In a land traditionally renowned for its throwers and distance runners, it is perhaps a surprise that one of the highlights for the local Finnish fans will be the men’s Long Jump. Dwight Phillips, the IAAF World Ranked number one, will take on Finland’s Tommi Evilä, who was recently third behind him at the TDK Golden League meeting in Rome.
Those who believe such a contest is a hyped affair of Finnish hearts over the more realistic hopes of Finnish minds, should not be too surprised if the Finn, who is now free from persistent back problems, doesn’t give the American World and Olympic champion a good challenge. Currently, World Ranked 14th, Evilä, one of the most consistent jumpers in the world this summer, has had five competitions in excess of 8 metres outdoors in 2005, topped by a 8.27m (+2.4m/s) win in Lapinlahti on 3 July, where he beat American champs third placer Brian Johnson.
Pitkämäki versus Olympic champion
But yes, this is Finland so of course the throws will also be a highlight on Monday.
On home turf the meeting has attracted the stiffest opposition for Tero Pitkämäki, the IAAF World Ranked number three in the men’s Javelin. The world season leader with 91.53m will contend with Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway and Andrus Värnik of Estonia, the World silver medallist.
Finland’s World Athletics Final Hammer Throw winner, Olli-Pekka Karajalainen will also be on show, and will be keen to obtain revenge on Poland’s 2000 Olympic and 2001 World champion Szymon Ziolkowski, who beat the Finn last night at the EAA permit meeting in Lappeenranta.
World record warm-up re-opens on Sunday
Back to the Javelin Throw and the subject of the World Championships is very much at the forefront on Sunday (24 July), one day before the main programme of 'GE Money Grand Prix' competition takes place.
The women’s Javelin Throw contest has been given the honour of playing the central role in the re-opening of the Olympic stadium’s famous World record ‘warm-up’ track, Eläintarha, which sits just a few 100 metres from and is connected to its bigger sister by an underground tunnel.
Click here for the full World record story of Eläintarha
Cuba’s finest take on the Finns
After the speeches which will officially open the newly resurfaced eight lane track facility, the World record holder and Olympic champion Osleidys Menendez and her Cuban compatriot Sonia Bisset, the world season leader, will take on the best of Finland’s elite led by Mikaela Ingberg, the double European bronze and former World bronze medallist, Paula Tarvainen (Huhtaniemi) the national record holder, and former World Junior champion Taina Kolkkala.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
