Finnish athletics expert: Saara Keskitalo could challenge Lotta Harala as top hurdler

Finnish athletics expert Lauri Hollo believes Saara Keskitalo is poised to challenge Lotta Harala for the top spot in Finnish women's 100-meter hurdles this season. The domestic athletics season kicks off with the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, where Harala and Keskitalo are the leading Finnish contenders, with Nooralotta Neziri and Reetta Hurske sidelined.

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Keskitalo still has a way to go to match Harala's times, but based on her runs in Poland, she has quite a few elements that can still be improved.

Keskitalo emerged as a strong competitor last season, achieving a personal best of 12.81 seconds. While Harala (12.67) and Neziri (12.73) posted faster times, Keskitalo's recent performances in Italy (12.86) and Poland (12.94, 12.99) indicate significant potential for improvement. Hollo suggests that Keskitalo, who turns 26 in July, has several areas to refine but could break the 12.70-second barrier this year.

Harala has yet to open her outdoor season, making her current form uncertain. However, she achieved a personal best of 7.94 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season. Hollo anticipates both Harala and Keskitalo will compete at the European Championships in August, with potential to reach the semifinals or even the finals if they perform optimally.

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There are strong indications that Keskitalo can run under 12.70 this season. Then she could challenge Harala as the number one in the discipline domestically.

The outlook for Neziri and Hurske is less optimistic. Neziri underwent knee surgery in the fall and aims for the 2027 World Championships. Hollo doubts she will compete this season, though some races might be possible late in the year. Hurske has faced a difficult season due to a persistent ischial tuberosity issue, impacting her training and preventing her from competing since early March. Hollo suggests Hurske might compete sooner than Neziri but continuous ailments hinder her progress towards past peak performances.

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They have a chance to reach the semifinals there and, if everything goes perfectly, even the final.