Elmo Lakka, a Finnish hurdler, made headlines by finishing second in the 60-meter hurdles at a meet in Dortmund, Germany, with a time of 7.65 seconds. This performance is notable as it closely approaches the qualifying standard set for the upcoming World Indoor Championships. In the preliminary heats, Lakka clocked a time of 7.67 seconds, indicating a steady improvement from his previous season's results. Lakka expressed satisfaction with his progress, indicating that he has developed significantly since earlier competitions this season.

In the same event, Polish athlete Damian Czykier won the race with a time of 7.58 seconds, showcasing the competitiveness of the field. Lakka’s performance reflects a growing trend of Finnish athletes making an impact in sprinting events at international competitions. Meanwhile, fellow Finnish athlete Lotta Kemppinen also had a commendable outing, finishing third in the women's 60 meters with a time of 7.27 seconds, after recording a faster time in the heats.

Kemppinen, who holds the women's 60-meter national record at 7.16 seconds, expressed hopes of returning to times in the 7.1-second range, emphasizing the need for more competitions to achieve this goal. Both Lakka and Kemppinen's recent performances underline the promise of Finnish sprinting on the international stage, as they aim for strong showings in future championships and potential Olympic qualifications.