Tero Pitkamaki
From WikiRun
| Tero Pitkämäk | |
| Height | 6'1" (186 cm) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 205 lbs (93 kg) |
| Born | December 19, 1982 at Seinäjoki, Länsi-Suomen, Finland |
Tero Kristian Pitkämäki (1982—) is a Finnish javelin thrower and the current World Champion. Pitkämäki is known for his rivalry with Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen. The two are very close friends, however.
Career
Pitkämäki finished 8th in the javelin throw at the 2004 Summer Olympics with 83.01 m and has since developed into one of the world's leading javelin throwers. He went into the 2005 World Championships in Athletics with a 91.53 m pr, making him a favorite to win that meet. However, he finished fourth with a 81.27 m. Pitkämäki placed second at the 2006 European Championships in Athletics.[1]
On August 5, 2007, Pitkämäki won his 4th Finnish championship in a row with a throw of 89.43 m. In the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, Japan, Pitkämäki secured gold medal in men's javelin with a throw of 90.33 m.[2]
On October 5, 2007, Tero Pitkämäki was honored with the European Athlete of the Year title by the EEA. His 11 wins over the season, including the World Champion title, Golden League in Oslo and Paris, and his season best, also best in Europe, 91.23 m throw, were the factors for choosing him.[3] In December, Pitkämäki was voted Finnish Sportsman of the Year by the members of the Finnish Sport Journalists Association, beating women's triple world cross country skiing champion Virpi Kuitunen and Formula One world champion Kimi Räikkönen.[4]
Pitkämäki won the bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics with a throw of 86.16 m.
External links
References
- ↑ Tero Pitkämäki wins javelin silver in Gothenburg. Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
- ↑ Finn Pitkamaki goes big to claim javelin gold. Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
- ↑ 24-year-old Tero Pitkämäki wins the Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year 2007. European Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ↑ F1 champion Kimi Räikkönen beaten by Pitkämäki in race for annual sports award. IAAF. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
|
|||||