Finland's Sanni Utriainen in javelin qualifying (© Getty Images)
Javelin Throw is a national tradition in Finland, arguably the most popular sport with ski jumping yet the Nordic country hadn’t won a World Junior gold in their best discipline since 1994!
16 years later and finally Sanni Utriainen set the record straight, the 19-year-old setting a new personal best 56.69 to claim gold here in Moncton.
It wasn’t however until her very last effort that Utriainen took the lead of the competition, a position which she wouldn’t be denied of.
Responding to Utriainen’s opening 54.31m, Colombia’s Maria Murillo, the event’s World leader at 57.16, threw what would remain her best of the evening at 54.44. Although the Colombian held the lead until the third round cut, she could feel that it wasn’t going to be a good night for her and she was visibly frustrated by her throwing technique tonight.
And she could sense right as in the very next round, Latvia’s Lina Muze and South Africa's Tazmin Brits leapfrogged into the top two positions at 56.64 and 54.55 respectively. It was a new personal best for Muze who looked confident although her fifth round effort was declared a foul.
Utriainen started closing the gap with her fifth effort 55.36 and found herself in silver medal position as the order was reverted for the last round.
Murillo continued to struggle and could only manage 51.95 in her sixth throw; the medals were decided but which would be the order?
Brits fouled, bronze was her medal.
Utriainen was up next. She smiled before her run-up, she looked confident and it proved to be the right state of mind as she threw big. Jumping up and down waiting for the mark, she was eventually rewarded with a new personal best 56.69. She was in gold medal position with 5 centimetres to spare.
Muze responded but not quite far yet her 54.57 final effort still being her second best of the day. Silver would be her prize tonight.
It may well be the shortest winning performance since 2002 it mattered little to the delighted winner: “The last throw was very cool because I knew I was going to get at least a silver. I encouraged the crowd to get behind me and it was amazing, their response. It felt like they were all cheering for me.
“I was fighting through the competition. I wanted to medal. And before my last throw I had to really focus on what I was doing.”
Muze on the other hand could only share disappointment in her silver medal winning performance albeit she did improve her personal best mark: “I’m not feeling so good. When I started the competition, I was very bad. I can’t throw. I don’t know why I can’t. The Finland girl threw better than me.
“But I’m still young, so I think I did very good. Next year is my year.
“I’m going to go home and work on the technical. It should be okay.”
Laura Arcoleo for the IAAF
