Hurdler Lotta Harala Ends European Championship Run, Confirms Retirement

Finnish track and field athlete Lotta Harala's European Championship journey concluded in the semifinals, with a time of 13.18 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. The result, achieved on a warm Tuesday evening in Birmingham, was not enough to secure a spot in the final, marking the end of her championship run.

Despite the disappointment, Harala maintained a positive demeanor, engaging in lengthy conversations with media. She watched her compatriot Saara Keskitalo compete in the final heat, who also did not advance. Harala admitted that the emotional weight of her final races is only now beginning to surface, anticipating a more reflective period after the season concludes.

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My race manager Kristian Bäck and I will have a meeting here. I just said that I want races, so what's left? This was like the start of the season, and I hope I can still produce some really fast times.

Harala confirmed her retirement from the sport, a decision she described as "certain." However, she expressed a desire for more races before her career officially ends. "My race manager Kristian Bäck and I will have a meeting here," Harala stated. "I just said that I want races, so what's left? This was like the start of the season, and I hope I can still produce some really fast times."

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I just wasn't ready. The first steps were loose, and the initial stride was extremely poor. I was already well behind the pack, and I should have been at the front even against Europe's best.

She attributed her performance to a slow start and a lack of conditioning, exacerbated by a summer leg injury. "I just wasn't ready," Harala explained. "The first steps were loose, and the initial stride was extremely poor. I was already well behind the pack, and I should have been at the front even against Europe's best."

Reflecting on her career, Harala noted that her best performances often occurred outside of major championships. "I have always competed to fulfill my own best potential," she said. "Championships are important, but I haven't been the kind of athlete who only thinks about them."

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I have always competed to fulfill my own best potential. Championships are important, but I haven't been the kind of athlete who only thinks about them.