Wilma Murto

Finnish pole vaulter
  • 4.85 m NR (Munich 2022)
  • Indoors
  • 4.80 mi NR (Istanbul 2023)
  • 4.71 mi WU20R (Zweibrücken 2016)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Finland
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Budapest Pole vault
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Munich Pole vault
European Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Istanbul Pole vault
European Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Kraków-Małopolska Pole vault
World U20 Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Bydgoszcz Pole vault
European U20 Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Grosseto Pole vault

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

Wilma Murto at the women's pole vault final at the 2022 European Championships in Munich

Wilma Murto at the women's pole vault final at the European Athletics Championships in Munich on 17 August 2022.

Murto at the 2023 European Indoor Championships in Istanbul
Representing  Finland
Year Competition Venue Position Result
2014 World Junior Championships Eugene, OR, United States 25th (q) 3.75 m
2015 European Indoor Championships Prague, Czech Republic – DNS
European Junior Championships Eskilstuna, Sweden – NH
2016 European Championships Amsterdam, Netherlands 7th 4.45 m
World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 3rd 4.40 m
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 24th (q) 4.30 m
2017 European Indoor Championships Belgrade, Serbia 8th 4.40 m
European U20 Championships Grosseto, Italy 3rd 4.15 m
2018 European Championships Berlin, Germany 17th (q) 4.35 m
2019 European Indoor Championships Glasgow, United Kingdom 18th (q) 4.10 m
European U23 Championships Gävle, Sweden 5th 4.20 m
European Team Championships Super League Bydgoszcz, Poland 8th 4.21 m
World Championships Doha, Qatar 22nd (q) 4.35 m
2021 European Indoor Championships Toruń, Poland 6th 4.55 m
Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 5th 4.50 m
2022 World Championships Eugene, OR, United States 6th 4.60 m
European Championships Munich, Germany 1st 4.85 m =CR NR
2023 European Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 1st 4.80 m NR
World Championships Budapest, Hungary 3rd 4.80 m[9]
2024 World Indoor Championships Glasgow, United Kingdom 9th 4.55 m

National titles

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b c "Wilma MURTO – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b Dennehy, Cathal (4 March 2023). "Turkish delight for Danismaz! Triple jump gold for Tugba in Istanbul". European Athletics. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Murto breaks European youth mark". European Athletics. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Mills, Steven (31 January 2016). "Murto clears world U20 pole vault record of 4.71m in Zweibrucken". World Athletics. IAAF. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  8. ^ Holopainen, Pekka (7 January 2023). "Wilma Murto rysäytti ennätyshypyn! Taustalla huima yksityiskohta". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  9. ^ Arkko, Simo. "Wilma Murrolle MM-pronssia!" [World Championships bronze to Wilma Murto!] (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 23 August 2023.

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