High jump: Ella Mikkola breaks U19 national record despite feeling 'best jumps were in warm-ups'

Ella Mikkola achieved a new Finnish under-19 record in the high jump, clearing 1.91 meters at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku. Her teammate Ella Junnila also cleared 1.91 meters, marking her season's best performance. The rare feat of multiple Finnish women surpassing the 1.90-meter mark in the same competition highlights a strong showing for Finnish high jumping.

Despite her record-breaking performance, Mikkola remained self-critical. She described her competition jumps as not particularly aesthetically pleasing or technically sound, noting the reappearance of old technical issues. Mikkola emphasized her rigorous approach to self-evaluation, stating she prefers not to celebrate prematurely and awaits a performance where all elements align perfectly.

Her coach, Laura Moision, corroborated Mikkola's assessment, mentioning that the most impressive jumps actually occurred during the warm-up sessions. Moision indicated that while Mikkola's training has been progressing well and her physical attributes have improved, the competition jumps did not fully reflect her potential. Mikkola herself attributed some of her nervousness to the significance of the event and the pressure of competing.

Mikkola, 18, has set the U20 World Championships as her primary goal for the season, choosing it over the senior European Championships due to scheduling conflicts. This decision underscores her long-term focus on development. She recently trained with Tatyana Stepanova, the personal coach of world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh, during a camp in Monte Gordo, Spain. Mikkola described this experience as invaluable, providing new perspectives on technical aspects of her jumping.