Athletics: Ilona Mononen helped a competitor despite coach's instructions

Finnish middle-distance runner Ilona Mononen secured the gold medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Kaleva Games, finishing with a time of 9:46.76. The 22-year-old athlete has significantly improved her performance this season, setting a new Finnish record of 9:15.18 earlier in the summer.

Mononen ran according to her coach Mikko Rajaniemi's tactic: "start relaxed, follow, and then pick up the pace at the end." However, she adjusted her strategy during the race, intentionally setting a fast initial pace. This decision was partly to test her speed at that level and partly to assist fellow Finnish competitor Alisa Virtanen, who was seeking to improve her world ranking.

"It was like a heat race at a major championship. I wanted to test what accelerating felt like at that speed," Mononen explained. Despite a brief stomach bug during her training camp in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Spain, she has recovered well and feels her legs are in good condition. Her overall training is geared towards achieving a medal at the European Championships, regardless of whether the final race is decided by a sprint finish or a sustained fast pace.

Virtanen, the reigning Finnish champion and runner-up in this race, achieved her personal best of 9:54.83. Mononen's early fast pace, though initially intended as a training exercise for herself, proved beneficial for Virtanen. "Alisa asked if I could keep up the pace. However, my coach had a different opinion, saying I definitely shouldn't act as a pacemaker today," Mononen recalled. The accidental collaboration worked out well, and Mononen expressed hope that Virtanen would also qualify for the European Championships in Birmingham.