Essayah praises Vainio’s mental strength after European title

Yle reports that Finnish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Sari Essayah has praised Alisa Vainio’s mental strength after her dominant victory in the women’s marathon at the European Athletics Championships.

Vainio, from Lappeenranta, won the race in Birmingham on Sunday in 2:22:26, finishing almost five minutes ahead of silver medallist Lili Anna Vindics-Tóth of Hungary.

Vainio received a congratulatory call from Finnish President Alexander Stubb shortly after the race. On Monday, Essayah, who was visiting Miehikkälä, also sent her warm congratulations.

“A mentally strong athlete who is confident in her own fitness can make the kinds of decisions she made during the competition. It was wonderful to watch,” Essayah said.

Essayah, a former race walker, won both the world and European titles in the 10-kilometre event in the 1990s. She said Vainio’s victory had been “truly moving and wonderful”.

Essayah said the excitement and joy of the victory could be felt among everyone in Lappeenranta, where she had stayed overnight on Sunday.

“Vainio has worked tremendously hard for this victory. There have been years when everything has not gone according to plan, which makes this success even more moving,” Essayah said.