Joona Puhakka takes diving silver medal at European Championships

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The most significant Finnish sporting achievement over the weekend did not take place in Prague, in Barcelona, or even in Lahti, but in Madrid. Joona Puhakka collected Finland’s first medal at the European Swimming Championships in the Spanish capital, when he took the silver in the 3-metre springboard diving competition. Puhakka already has two previous bronze medals from European and World Championships in the 1-metre event.
      In a tight contest for second spot, Puhakka eventually overcame Russia’s Vasili Lisovsky, with the result being in doubt until the final dives. Victory went by a comfortable margin to Andreas Wels of Germany.
      After the final, a delighted Puhakka contemplated Wednesday’s one-metre competition, in which he has a chance of increasing his medal haul. Another swimmer from Puhakka’s club in Vantaa, Jukka Piekkanen, finished in 11th place. Piekkanen was a bronze medallist at this level in 1999.
     

As for the other venues mentioned at the beginning of this piece, the only Finns taking part in the final of the Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague were referee Hannu Henriksson and linesman Juha Kautto. Finland’s quarter-final opponents Canada retained their world title with a 5-3 win over Sweden.
      In Barcelona it was business as usual, with a fifth straight win for Michael Schumacher and another pointless weekend for Kimi Räikkönen and his McLaren-Mercedes. Räikkönen was 11th.
      Meanwhile, in Lahti, a crowd of nearly 13,000 - colossal by Finnish standards - turned out for the Finnish League debut of returning favourite son Jari Litmanen. Litmanen still showed signs of rustiness, and FC Lahti had to struggle to get a last-ditch equaliser in a disappointing 1-1 draw against TP-47 of Tornio.


Links:
  European Swimming Championships 2004, Madrid

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