Õilme Võrõ matches Estonian record at European championships in Istanbul

Sprinter Õilme Võro matched Ksenija Balta's Estonian national record in the semi-finals of the women's 60 meters at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul. With a time of 7.29 seconds, Võro finished third in her race, but 12th overall in the semis, meaning she missed out on a place in the final.
"The good result was down to a combination of the right things coming together. Mentally, I was able to pull myself together, stay calm and get myself really fired up. The result was a culmination of all those things," said Võro after the race.
"Today was a surprise for me too. I didn't feel any negative anxiety, but instead I had a kind of feeling of being recharged and wanting to run. It's been like that for me all day. There was no way I could hide my smile when I got to the starting line. It was such a nice feeling. Hopefully it won't be my last title race," she said.
Võro said, that after finishing third in her semi-final, it took her a few moments to realize that she had equalled the Estonian national record of 7.29 seconds.
"For a while I couldn't figure out where the scoreboard was. Finally (President of the Estonian Athletic Association), Erich Teigamägi shouted "29!" at me from the stands, and then I started celebrating," said Võro.
"It's harder to get that kind of emotion when you're younger. Nerves can take over and create a fear of big races. In this respect, I feel that I have really matured," she added.
"I will be extremely grateful to my coach (Tiina Torp - ed) for the rest of my life. She has been with me through some difficult times, always believed in me and given me so much. My sincere thanks to her and the result is a thank you in itself."
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Editor: Michael Cole