Sari Multala rises to fourth place; four Finns join spectators

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Sari Multala, one of Finland's biggest medal hopefuls, dramatically improved her position in the women's Europe class sailing on Tuesday.
      In the fourth race of the competition, Multala was in only 20th place at the turn, but she crossed the finish line in sixth position. This was crucial for the overall standings, with Multala now in fourth place, only two points behind Denmark's Signe Livberg in the bronze medal spot.
      "I had to take a risk, but it paid off", Multala commented. After the disqualification of the overall leader Norway's Siren Sundby, Multala rose to fifth place in the fourth race. Seven races remain in the competition.
     
Finland's tennis hopes ended in the men's second round with Jarkko Nieminen's loss to Max Mirnyi from Belarus. Mirnyi, who wins or falls with his serve, was on form on Tuesday, and overcame Nieminen 6-3, 6-4.
      In the swimming pool, Matti Rajakylä participated in the men's 100 metres freestyle. He clocked a time of 50.67 seconds, failing to break his record, and placing 32nd. Joonas Olkkonen was also far from a place in the finals in the men's double trap shooting.
      Archer Mari Piuva put up a proper fight in the women's second round. In the one-on-one competition of 18 arrows, she lost by five points to Great Britain's Naomi Folkard. Piuva's final placing in the competition was 25th.
      "I am disappointed that I lost, but the result was excellent", commented 23-year-old Piuva, whose aim is set on the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
     
LATE NEWS (14.00):
      Wednesday morning brought more Finnish disappointments, and in events where hopes had been relatively high. Neither of the two shot-putters made it past the morning qualifying session, and in the swimming pool Jani Sievinen, a silver medallist in Atlanta in 1996, somewhat surprisingly failed to progress from the first round of the 200 metres medley. Sievinen's time of 2.02.79 was more than 2 seconds outside his personal best this season, and entitled him to only 20th position. Sixteen swimmers went forward to the semi-finals.
      More details on these and other Finnish performances in tomorrow's edition.  
     
     
     


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland has quiet first weekend in Athens (16.8.2004)

Helsingin Sanomat