Wilma Murto
 Murto at the 2022 Finnish Athletics Championships in Joensuu | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Wilma Anna Helena Murto |
| Born | June 11, 1998 Kuusjoki, Finland |
| Sport | |
| Country | Finland |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Pole vault |
| Coached by | Jarno Koivunen[1] |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal bests | |
Wilma Anna Helena Murto (born 11 June 1998)[2] is a Finnish pole vaulter. She won the gold medal at the 2022 European Athletics Championships in Munich with a jump of 4.85 m (15 ft 10+3⁄4 in), equalling the championships record of defending champion Katerina Stefanidi and setting a new Finnish record.[3][1]
Murto holds current world under-20 record of 4.71 m (15 ft 5+1⁄4 in) and Finnish national records out and indoors.
Career
Wilma Murto made her international debut at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Athletics held in Eugene, Oregon at the age of sixteen. On 27 December 2015, she cleared a new best of 4.45 m (14 ft 7 in), which represented a European youth (under-18s) best.[4]
On 31 January 2016, the 17-year-old set a new indoor world junior (under-20s) record in Zweibrücken, Germany, where she jumped 4.71 m (15 ft 5+1⁄4 in).[5] This result was also a new Finnish national record, beating Minna Nikkanen's previous best by 11 centimetres (4.3 in).[6]
In the following years, Murto struggled with form and it took her until the 2021 season to improve the record further, when she cleared 4.72 m (15 ft 5+3⁄4 in) at the Finnish Championships.[1] Also in the same season, she finished fifth at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, her best senior championship result up to that point.[2]
At the 2022 European Athletics Championships final, Murto cleared three Finnish records to take her first senior international championship medal, a gold. She improved her outdoor best with a remarkable 13 centimetres, to 4.85 m (15 ft 10+3⁄4 in). This mark equalled also the championship record of Katerina Stefanidi, who this time took silver behind Murto.[3] Also in 2022, she placed sixth at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.[2]
On 7 January 2023, she improved her 7-year-old Finnish indoor record, clearing world-leading 4.75 m (15 ft 7 in) on her first attempt in Kuortane.[7]
International competitions
References
- ^ a b c Whittington, Jess (2022-10-20). "A pole vault journey that has seen Murto soar full circle". World Athletics. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ a b c "Wilma MURTO – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
- ^ a b "Finnish Youngster Wilma Murto Denies Two-time Defending Champ Stefanidi's Triple in European Champs". Greek City Times. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ "Murto breaks European youth mark". European Athletics. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Knuuttila, Mikko (31 January 2016). "Video: Maailmanennätys Suomeen! Wilma Murto paransi ME:tä kahdesti Saksassa". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Helsinki: Sanoma Media Finland Oy. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ Mills, Steven (31 January 2016). "Murto clears world U20 pole vault record of 4.71m in Zweibrucken". World Athletics. IAAF. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ Holopainen, Pekka (7 January 2023). "Wilma Murto rysäytti ennätyshypyn! Taustalla huima yksityiskohta". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 January 2023.
External links
- Wilma Murto at World Athletics
- Wilma Murto at Diamond League
- Wilma Murto at Olympics.com
- Wilma Murto at Olympedia
- Official website
European Athletics Championships champions in women's pole vault | |
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| National | |
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| People | |
- 1998 births
- Living people
- People from Salo, Finland
- Finnish female pole vaulters
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes of Finland
- Finnish Athletics Championships winners
- World Athletics Championships athletes for Finland
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Sportspeople from Southwest Finland
- 21st-century Finnish women
- European Athletics Championships winners