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Finnish paralympians claim gold at European championships in Berlin

At the World Para Athletics European Championships in Berlin, Finnish para-athletes Leo-Pekka Tähti and Amanda Kotaja both won gold medals.

Leo-Pekka Tähti Lontoon parayleisurheilun MM-kisojen 100 metrin kisassa.
Finland's Leo-Pekka Tähti wins three gold medals in Berlin. Image: AOP
  • Yle News

Finnish para-athletes Leo-Pekka Tähti and Amanda Kotaja won gold medals in their respective 100-metre events at the World Para Athletics European Championships in Berlin on Saturday.

ParalympianLeo-Pekka Tähti won the T54 100-metre sprint, bringing his medal tally to four at the European Championships event.

Tähti’s win came with a new European Championship record time of 13.83. He also won the 200- and 400-metre races, and picked up a silver medal in the 800-metre event.

Tähti, who was named Finland's 2017 Sports Personality of the Year, beat the Netherlands' **Kenny van Weeghel'**s second-place time of 14.65 in the 100-metre sprint, while Britain’s Nathan Maguire picked up third place with a time of 15.14.

Finland's Tuomo Himanka took fifth place in the 100-metre T54 with a time of 15.36.

Amanda Kotaja mirrored her compatriot by nabbing gold in the women’s 100-metre T54. In a tight race against Turkey’s Zubeyde Supurgeci, Kotaja took the top spot with a time of 17.08, with Supurgeci coming in at 17.16, and third place going to Switzerland’s Alexandra Helbling.

Finland’s Sini Paukkeri placed fifth in the 100-metre race with a time of 18.76.