Jan Železný & Tero Pitkämäki

The former javelin World Champion Tero Pitkämäki, who failed to make it to the final in the recent Athletics World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, is to get a coaching leg-up from a very convincing direction.
      Pitkämäki's coaching team will be joined by one Jan Železný of the Czech Republic, a man that some may remember for his modest sporting achievements of winning three Olympic and three World Championship gold medals, and of being the current holder of the javelin world record of 98.48 metres.
      Finn Hannu Kangas will continue as Pitkämäki's personal coach. He will be mainly responsible for the training in Finland. Železný will take over the main coaching duties on overseas training camps.
    
"The idea of cooperation with Železný was spawned in Daegu", Pitkämäki told Helsingin Sanomat over the telephone on Thursday.
      "I went to talk with Železný and asked about javelin throwing. While chatting with him, I asked if any kind of cooperation might be possible."
      According to Pitkämäki, Železný had replied that he would have to consult with his present pupils first.
      Under Železný's guidance are the Czech Republic throwers Barbora Špotákova, Vítezslav Veselý, Petr Frydrych and Jakub Vadlejch.
      "They all gave the green light", Pitkämäki says.
    
In Daegu it was agreed that Pitkämäki and Kangas would travel in early October to visit Železný in Prague, where the three would outline Pitkämäki's training year with its training camps.
      Everything is geared towards next summer's European Championships in Helsinki and the 2012 Olympics in London.
      Initially it has been agreed that the cooperation with Železný would last until the Olympics.
    
Pitkämäki believes that there will be some changes to his training in prospect.
      "I am not yet sure how extensive, but we will concentrate on the technique, and running will be emphasised in the training."
      "The idea is to have a couple of shorter training camps primarily indoors in Prague in the winter, and in March I will travel to a long camp in South Africa", Pitkämäki reveals.
      According to Pitkämäki's manager Tero Heiska, Železný is currently on holiday and will not reply to any enquiries by the media.
      "The plan is to organise a press conference in Prague at the beginning of October and Železný will be there", Heiska explains.
    
Through Heiska, Železný has nevertheless released a statement, in which he says that he is looking forward to working with Pitkämäki.
      Even though this year has been difficult for Pitkämäki because of certain health concerns, Železný sees a lot of potential in the Finn, who left a lasting impression with the Czech with his 2005 GP final win in Monaco.
      In that competition Pitkämäki produced a mighty throw of 91.33 metres that did not go unnoticed by the master.
      Coach Kangas also welcomes the cooperation with the former World and Olympic Champion, and thanks Železný's current Czech protégés for allowing their coach to share his knowledge and experience with the Finns as well.

source: hs.fi