OULU, Finland, July 11. DURING the course of the Finnish Long Course Nationals held in Oulu, Hanna-Maria Seppala and Emilia Pikkarainen managed to claim a title trifecta apiece.
Seppala won the women's 100 free in 55.66, while also earning the title in the women's 100 back with a 1:02.67 before topping the women's 200 free in 2:01.52.
Meanwhile, Pikkarainen claimed the women's 100 fly in 1:00.14. She followed that triumph with another in the butterfly discipline with a 2:11.89 in the women's 200 fly. Her third conquest came by way of the women's 200 IM with a 2:16.82.
Other swimmers also doubled throughout the weekend. Janna Ovaska won the women's 200 back in 2:21.97, she then doubled up with a victory in the women's 400 IM (5:06.50). Eetu Karvonen snatched the men's 100 breast in 1:03.82. Karvonen snagged his second title of the meet with a 2:17.60 in the men's 200 breast.
Additionally, Sami Myren claimed the men's 100 back in 59.58, before hitting the wall first in the men's 200 IM with a 2:09.82. A third title came in the men's 50 back with a time of 27.32. Ari-Pekka Liukkonen topped the men's 100 free in 51.51. He completed the sprint free sweep with a time of 22.64 in the men's 50 free splash-and-dash event. Severi Allonen also went on to win the men's 400 free in 4:02.51. He also claimed the crown in the men's 200 free with a top time of 1:53.31.
In other individual title action among the men, Ilkka Hanhineva snagged the men's 200 IM in 2:03.22, while Anton Dobrzhanskiy won the men's 400 IM in 4:37.63. Aleksi Eskelinen topped the men's 1500 free in 16:10.35, while Heikki Luukko garnered the men's 200 back in 2:09.44. Mika Sola earned the men's 100 fly in 55.79, while Manu Mantymaki snared the men's 50 fly crown in 24.83 and Iisakki Ratilainen posted a 28.79 to win the men's 50 breast.
For the women, Marlene Niemi clocked a 26.46 for the women's 50 free win, while Heidi Karjalainen wound up with the women's 50 fly title in 28.11. Noora Laukkanen touched first in the women's 200 breast with a 2:35.21, while Riia-Rosa Koskelainen captured the women's 50 back in 29.88.
Additionally, Veera Kivirinta won the women's 50 breast in 32.92, while Aino Erkinaro finished first in the women's 1500 free with a 17:38.65. Jonna Teravainen claimed the women's 800 free in 9:14.91, while Laura Lajunen grabbed the women's 400 free in 4:28.70 and Laura Koivusalo snared the women's 100 breast in 1:11.57.