Pitkamaki in search of perfect javelin throw

By Sakari Suoninen

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Gold in Beijing with the perfect throw, then a career in engineering and a family -- javelin world champion Tero Pitkamaki has mapped out his dream of the future.

Last year, the Finn achieved close to everything in his sport, though the year also gave him the lowest point of his career.

He won gold in the world championships in Osaka, Japan, and was chosen as the European Athlete of the Year as well as the Sportsman of the Year in Finland, beating Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen.

His world title came after an horrific incident in Rome when he slipped on his run-up and his javelin veered to the left, spearing French long jumper Salim Sdiri in the side at a Golden League meeting on Friday, July 13.

Sdiri was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries and returned to competition in February.

"There were quite a few sleepless nights and the first competition after the accident was a question mark," Pitkamaki, a trained electrical engineer, told Reuters.

"I did not quite know what I should do and kept looking whether there was anyone near the sector and whether I still knew how to throw."

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