Pitkämäki leads Finnish successes at European Athletics Permit Meeting in Lappeenranta 04. August 08

2007 European Athlete of the Year Tero Pitkämäki was the star attraction at the European Athletics Permit Meeting in Lappeenranta, Finland on Sunday.

The reigning World Javelin champion and one of the favourites for gold in Beijing in two weeks time threw 84.30m at the meeting known as the "Karelia Games", which was enough for him to secure the overall first place prize.

Although his form has been inconsistent of late, he gave his legions of home fans hope that his problems are behind him and is now ready to take the Chinese capital by storm over the next few weeks.

"After the Finnish Championships a week ago I have trained a lot," said Pitkämäki. "I have slowed down my running speed a bit, and today it worked better. This is not what I wanted, but I am confident for Beijing."

In the women's Javelin Mikaela Ingberg secured her ticket to Beijing with a 57.91m throw in the fifth round. Ingberg has been beset with back injury problems throughout the summer and this was her final chance to impress the selectors to convince them of her form ahead of the Games.

"I am sure that the warm weather both in the training camp in Marugame and in Beijing will do me good," said the 34-year-old Ingberg. "I am definitely not going to travel to Asia as a tourist. I want to set my best throws of this season there."

Incidentally, the Olympic Games will be the 14th occasion that the decorated Ingberg will represent Finland at major international championships. In fact, the only Championships the member of the European Athletics Athletes Commission has missed since the European Championships in Helsinki in 1994 were the IAAF World Championships in Osaka last year.

There was another European victory in the men's Discus when Hungary's Zoltan Kovago, threw 65.12m in the opening round. That throw was good enough to emerge on top with Estonia's Märt Israel set 64.30m as Finland's Frantz Kruger placed 3rd with a throw of 63.40m. There was also some local joy in this event as Jouni Walden set a PB of 60.16m in the last round to become the most recent Finn to clear the 60m mark.

There was also some good news for local shot putter Robert Häggblom who was also in the "last chance saloon" for a ticket to Beijing. In the end, he passed with flying colours to take second with a 19.60m throw, 26 cm behind Estonia's Taavi Peetre but more importantly Beijing selection.

Mikko Latvala cleared only 5.25m in the men's Pole Vault but that was enough for the Olympic Team. Latvala was selected on 21 June, but as he did not compete at the Finnish Championships in Tampere on 26 July due to a slight hamstring cramp, the NOC asked him to show his current form.

Alexandr Gripich of Russia cleared 5.53m as his winning result, only 2cm short of his personal best but further back Mikko Latvala too guaranteed his selection for Beijing with a 5.25m clearance after some injury problems over the summer.

Elsewhere, Spain's Diego Ruiz took a competitive 1500m in 3:39.75 and Yuna Mekhti-Zade (100m) Irina Maratsheva (800m), Yevgenia, Isakova (400mH) and Yekaterina Kaukova (400mH) all took wins back to Russia.

Results

	M Discus
	Athlete		1	2	3	4	5	6	Result
1	Zoltan Kovago	HUN	65,12	X	64,02	X	63,99	65,08	65,12
2	Märt Israel	EST	60,66	61,64	62,97	62,83	64,30	X	64,30
3	Frantz Kruger	FIN	63,40	X	X	62,58	60,99	62,50	63,40
4	Jouni Walden	FIN	X	59,58	X	58,10	X	60,16	60,16
5	Mikko Kyyrö	FIN	58,89	X	59,16	57,64	58,78	X	59,16
6	Juha Lahdenranta	FIN	56,47	X	X	56,40	57,05	57,26	57,26
7	Mika Loikkanen	FIN	56,20	53,93	53,34	X	56,82	57,23	57,23
8	Juuso Sillanpää	FIN	X	46,85	49,35	51,93	51,14	51,77	51,93
	M Javelin
	Athlete		1	2	3	4	5	6	Result
1	Tero Pitkämäki	FIN	80,45	X	80,26	81,61	84,30	X	84,30
2	Antti Ruuskanen	FIN	77,28	X	76,19	76,57	X	83,53	83,53
3	Teemu Wirkkala	FIN	78,55	80,47	-	X	X	X	80,47
4	Esko Mikkola	FIN	75,97	75,12	75,34	77,34	X	76,35	77,34
5	Harri Haatainen	FIN	X	76,88	X	76,50	X	X	76,88
6	Ari Mannio	FIN	75,28	X	X	-	X	X	75,28
	Mikko Löppönen	FIN							NM
	Heiko Gross	FIN	X	X	X	X			NM
	M Shot Put
	Athlete		1	2	3	4	5	6	Result
1	Taavi Peetre	EST	19,56	19,71	X	19,58	X	19,86	19,86
2	Robert Häggblom	FIN	18,89	X	19,60	X	X	18,72	19,60
3	Soslan Tsirikhov	RUS	X	17,41	18,35	18,69	X	18,72	18,72
4	Oleg Korotkov	RUS	18,00	X	X	18,10	18,21	18,31	18,31
5	Mikko Halvari	FIN	X	X	X	X	13,96	14,23	14,23
	Seppo Kujala	FIN							DNS

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