Athletics EC: Emma Tainio was left without a personal place, even if the ranking position would have been enough

He has 1119 ranking points, while the required limit is 1104.

The Finnish Sports Federation has its own minimum limits for the sports, which must be exceeded or come close enough for the athlete to be sent to the Games.

Suli’s time limit in the women’s 200 meters is 23.45 seconds. Tainio’s record is 23.56 and this season he has run 23.75.

“Of course, the first thing I thought was, why the hell wasn’t I entered in the competitions, when I’m already in the competition as a 4×100 meter runner”, writes Tainio.

However, the thought quickly dissipated. Now Tainio thinks that he was chosen for the Games primarily for the relay. The 200 meters would have been before the relay and would have included the risk of injury.

“I was satisfied with this decision. Although it was not necessarily to my liking, it was fair. I believe that the people of the sports association will know when it is time for me to run for the first time in the international, general category competitions on my own. I was not there yet. I had every opportunity to run myself into the competitions by running harder. ”

Tainio also states that he used financial resources and “a little hooking” to collect as many ranking points as possible. In the end, Tainio reflects that the experience gave him the belief that he can make it to adult competitions.

SUL is not always followed strict line with the result limit, but evaluate the situation. For example, Daniel Kosonen was selected for men’s height through the ranking, even though he failed to jump the minimum limit of 217 centimeters set by Suli.

The result limit should have been jumped from May 1 to July 26. Kosonen’s best jump from this period is 207 in the final of the Kaleva Games.

Before the selection, Kosonen justified why he should be sent to the European Championships, even though the score limit was not violated.

“I would love to go there and I believe that I would make a result. I went to the European Championships last time with 213 soles and came out with 223.”

Sulin president Riikka Pakarinen commented on the discussion around the team in his column on Sunday. According to Pakarinen, always after the prestigious competition team is announced, there is the same discussion about why there are athletes who are not judged to have realistic medal chances.

“Unfortunately, some athletes are often labeled as ‘competition tourists’. I consider this discussion to be wrong, above all, towards the athletes.”

He reminds that the “tourists” in question are people who have spent the majority of their lives aiming for a place in prestigious competitions.

“I recommend to everyone who uses it lightly to try for a moment what kind of “tourist’s grips” are used to make them the results with which a place in the European championships is achieved”, Pakarinen points out.

In his column, he also points out that for all athletes the European Championship in Birmingham is not the main career goal: competitive experience in prestigious competitions is also needed for the future. He also reminds that Sul takes care of 85% of its own fundraising.

“We bear the responsibility for our own finances, and at the same time also the responsibility for how these funds are used for the development of Finnish athletics. Therefore, the discussion about whether the participation of an individual athlete is a ‘tourist trip paid for by taxpayers'” simply does not answer reality.