Helander stuns Chopra, Peters in Javelin throw at Paavo Nurmi Games 2022

Tobi Amusan edged the in-form Britany Anderson in the 100m hurdles, Max Burgin smashed his 800m PB, while Oliver Helander stunned global champions Anderson Peters and Neeraj Chopra in the men’s Javelin event at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 on Tuesday (14). The meeting is part of the 2022 World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series in Turku, Finland.

Amusan edges Anderson at the line

In the women’s 100m hurdles, Amusan got an early edge over Anderson and then held the Jamaican off at the line to win in a season’s best of 12.57 seconds.

“I had some ifs and buts coming into the race, but I got a win so I am really thankful for that,” said Amusan.

The Nigerian said she was happy with the performance which is getting her ready for the upcoming world championships. 

The 25-year-old added “I am pretty sure I’m doing what I’m supposed to do which is execution and I am thankful for the win.”

READ MORE: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra to open his season at Paavo Nurmi Games 2022

Meanwhile, Olympic finalist Anderson, who got off to a slow start and found herself in fourth place midway through the contest, made a late surge but was pipped on the line and had to settle for second place in 12.59 secs. 

The Jamaican who ranks 19th all-time in the event, was the top performer in the heats after clocking 12.68.

Two-time European Indoor 60m hurdles champion Nadine Visser of The Netherlands was third in a season’s best of 12.72.

Brilliant world leading run from Max Burgin

Meanwhile, in the men’s 800m, 20-year-old Max Burgin of Great Britain recorded a world-leading time and personal best of 1.43.52 to improve on the previous 2022 world best of 1:43.69 by Mouad Zahafi, set at Florida Gators Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, on 16 April.

After a fast opening lap of 49.22 seconds, Burgin took over from the pacemaker with 300m left in the race before maintaining his advantage all the way to the finish line.

Tony van Diepen of The Netherlands ran a personal best of 1:44.24 for second place and improved on his previous lifetime mark of 1:44.31, which was set in Bydgoszcz, Poland, earlier this month.

Gabriel Tual of France ran 1:44.30 for third with Kenya’s Collins Kipruto (1:44.69) and Andreas Kramer of Sweden (1:44.75) also going sub-1:45.

The women’s race saw Italian Elena Bello winning by five meters after going out fast and powering away from the rest of the field in the last 100m to take the victory with 1:59.84.

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The time was the second-fastest ever for Bello behind her lifetime best of 1:58.97, set when finishing third behind Olympic champion Athing Mu at the 2022 Rome Diamond League meeting on 9 June.

Great Britain’s Ellie Baker stopped the clock at 2:00.66 for second place with third going to Katharina Trost of Germany who did 2:00.80.

The meeting started with a pair of record-breaking performances in the women’s and men’s 400m hurdles.

Big PB for Rasmus Magi in the 400m hurdles

Estonia’s Rasmus Magi, a two-time Olympic finalist, posted a massive personal best of 47.82 seconds to also set a new national record, improving his own 48.11 second previous mark. 

“I wasn’t really surprised by the time,” a confident Magi said after his victory, adding that there are somethings he still needs to work on as he targets a place on the podium at this summer’s World Athletics Championships.

Wilfried Happio of France was a distant second in 49.12 secs with Mario Lambrughi of Italy crossing the finish line third in 49.21 secs.

The women’s 400m hurdles followed after and it also produced a meeting record by Ayomide Folorunso of Italy.

In fact, Folorunso smashed a 22-year-old meeting record when running a season’s best of 54.73.

“Yes!” she screamed after crossing the finish line and looked to her left to see the official time on the clock.

Viivi Lehikoinen of Finland followed Folorunso home in second place at 55.13, with Daniela Ledecká of the Slovak Republic getting third place in 56.43.

Oliver Helander beats Anderson Peters and Neeraj Chopra

The men’s Javelin throw was billed as one of the featured events at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2022 meeting and it didn’t disappoint.

After a few lead changes early in the first round of the competition, Finland’s Oliver Helander went on to stun the world champion and current world leader Anderson Peters and the Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra when he produced a lifetime best of 89.83m to take the victory.

Helander, who sat sixth after the first round, took the lead for good with his second attempt as no one else was able to exceed his mark.

Meanwhile, competing for the first time in 10 months, Olympic champion Chopra of India delivered a new personal best and national record of 89.30m in the second round to show that he will be ready for the upcoming World Athletics Championships next month.

Reigning world champion Peters of Grenada was handed his first defeat of the season after throwing 86.60m for third place. Peters, the world leader this season, entered the competition with a PB of 93.07m.

In the women’s triple jump, world silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica leaped 14.35m to take the victory overNeja Filipic of Slovenia (14.26m) and Tori Franklin of USA (14.05m). World and Olympic champion Daniel Ståhl of Sweden threw a season best of 70.62m to win the men’s discus competition.

Elsewhere, Olympic finalist Daryll Neita of Great Britain won the women’s 100m in 11.10 seconds to finish well clear of teammate Imani Lansiquot (11.36), while the men’s 100m went to Nigeria’s Raymond Ekevwo who clocked a comfortable 10.23 secs.