FINNISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 17-20, 2021
- Kuntolaakso Swimming Hall, Kuopio, Finland
- Long Course Meters (50m)
- Meet Page
Finland hosted the final day of their championship meet on Sunday, June 20th with Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls racing in Kuopio, Finland at the Kuntolaakso Swimming Hall.
The final day of finals featured two para events on the men’s side, the 100 breast and 50 back. In both races, it was 20-year old Nader Khalili who came away with the win. In the breast, he swam to a finals time of 1:19.37, while in the back he stopped the clock at 30.93. His time in the backstroke was good for a new Finnish record for the S14 class in the event.
Joining Khalili in setting a national record in the finals was another para swimmer, Ilmari Laitala. Finishing third in the 50 back, Laitala set the national record in the S8 class with a time of 46.03.
During the morning prelims session, the team of Lari Tumanoff, Lassi Haimi, Aleksi Koprinen, and Davin Lindholm combined to set a new junior national record in the 400 free relay. Swimming for Helsingfors Simsallskap, the quartet stopped the clock at 3:32.27.
After winning the title in the 50 back in a time of 26.29, Akseli Kontiainen told Discovery Finland:
“I never thought such a time would come, and this is an indescribable atmosphere. Things went right even though it has been such a hard time, and I hope that one day I can break the Finnish record. The great crowd and competition was here and it was nice to compete after such a long time.”
Other Event Winners
- Men’s 400 free: Roope Paatos – 4:02.10
- Women’s 200 fly: Laura Lahtinen – 2:15.20
- Men’s 100 breast: Miikka Ruohoniemi – 1:01.64
- Women’s 100 free: Fanny Teijonsalo – 55.85
- Men’s 200 IM: Jesper Lietzen – 2:06.29
- Women’s 50 breast: Ida Hulkko – 30.88
- Women’s 800 free: Ada Hakkarainen – 9:01.22
