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 | |
Medal record | |
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 and setting a new Finnish record.[3][1] Murto also claimed victory at the 2023 European Indoor Championships, making her the first Finnish woman in history to win gold at these championships.[4]
She was the 2016 World Under-20 Championships and 2017 European U20 Championships bronze medallist. Murto currently holds Finnish national records out and indoors and world U20 indoor record of 4.71 m (15 ft 5+1⁄4 in).
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.[5]
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).[6] This result was also a new Finnish national record, beating Minna Nikkanen's previous best by 11 centimetres (4.3 in).[7]
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 took silver this time behind Murto.[3] Also in 2022, she placed sixth at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.[2]
On 7 January 2023, she improved her own 6-year-old Finnish indoor record, clearing world-leading 4.75 m (15 ft 7 in) on her first attempt in Kuortane.[8] Murto bettered her record at the European Indoor Championships held in March in Istanbul, soaring clear at 4.80 m (15 ft 8+3⁄4 in) on her first attempt for the gold medal.[4]
Statistics
Personal bests
- Pole vault – 4.85 m (15 ft 10+3⁄4 in) (Munich 2022) NR
- Pole vault indoor – 4.80 m (15 ft 8+3⁄4 in) (Istanbul 2023) NR
- Pole vault indoor U20 – 4.71 m (15 ft 5+1⁄4 in) (Zweibrücken 2016) WU20R
International competitions
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Wilma Murto at the women's pole vault final at the European Athletics Championships in Munich on 17 August 2022.
National titles
- Finland-Sweden Athletics International
- Pole vault: 2023
- Finnish Athletics Championships
- Pole vault: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
- Finnish Indoor Athletics Championships
- Pole vault: 2019, 2020
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.
- ^ a b Dennehy, Cathal (4 March 2023). "Turkish delight for Danismaz! Triple jump gold for Tugba in Istanbul". European Athletics. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ "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. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. 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.
- ^ Arkko, Simo. "Wilma Murrolle MM-pronssia!" [World Championships bronze to Wilma Murto!] (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
External links
- Wilma Murto at World Athletics
- Wilma Murto at Diamond League
- Wilma Murto at Olympics.com
- Wilma Murto at Olympedia
European Athletics Championships champions in women's pole vault | |
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European Athletics Indoor Champions in women's pole vault | |
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| National | |
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| People | |
- 1998 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Salo, Finland
- Finnish female pole vaulters
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes for Finland
- Finnish Athletics Championships winners
- World Athletics Championships athletes for Finland
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- 21st-century Finnish women
- European Athletics Championships winners
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2023 European Games
- European Games gold medalists for Finland
- European Games medalists in athletics
- World Athletics Championships medalists