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| Javelin ace Tero Pitkí¤mí¤ki of Finland is pleased with his country's promotion to the SPAR European Team Championships Super League but says it will be a tough against the likes of Germany and Russia in 2010. |
'I have to say I was surprised at the promotion both for us and Norway, but it feels very nice. However, next year it will be a very tough competition,' said Pitkí¤mí¤ki said after the Javelin throw in Bergen on Sunday.
The reigning world champion had just delivered a season's best performance with a 86.78m throw, once again beating double Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen in the process.
Pitkí¤mí¤ki said throwing for his country's team instead of for himself is a change.
'It is different. The result is not that important, winning and getting the 12 points is. I like competing for the team like this - and we had a good team this year,' the 26-year-old said.
Finland finished second with 289 points behind Belarus, who earned 332. Norway finished third with 279.
Dutch hurdler Gregory Sedoc echoed Pitkí¤mí¤ki's sentiments, although his country had to accept a fourth-place finish outside of the promotion places due to, among other things, his own disqualification in the 110 meter hurdles.
'This adds more pressure. This is a team championship, so you're running for the team,' said Sedoc said after being part of one of the most memorable performances of the weekend - the Dutch 4x100m team clocking a brilliant 39.04.
Highlights
The lightning fast Dutch relay and the always absorbing Norwegian/Finnish Javelin duel were not the only highlights of the weekend in the European Team Championships 1st League that saw Switzerland and Serbia take the step down to next year's 2nd League.
The host's sprint ace Jaysuma Saidy Ndure recorded a season's best performance clocking 10.14 in the 100m dash. Halil Akkas and Selim Bayrak of Türkiye did the same with times of 3:40.81 and 8:00.45 in the men's 1500m and 3000m.
In the men's High Jump a personal best of 2.29 from Dutch athlete Martijn Nuyens was not enough against Serbia's 38-year-old former European champion Dragutin Topic. With the same height he won the 12 points and claimed a season's best - 19 years after his European gold in Split.
The men's Long Jump competition was won by Finland's Tommi Evila with 7.90 meters. The first four all notched their best result this season.
In the women's 400m, Hungary's Barabara Petrahn won with a season's best of 52.94, ahead of Merve Aydin of Türkiye who claimed a personal best of 53.48.
Turkish long distance runner Dudu Karakaya had a massive weekend, winning and recording personal best performances in the 3000m and 5000m. The most impressive performance based her former personal best would have to be the latter, with the 23-year-old finishing in 15:24.86 and improving her personal best by more than a minute.
Stine Kufaas was among the host women who brought out the big cheers from the locals. T