Javelin Accidents are not as Funny As They May Appear

So there I am watching the Rome Golden League Athletics event yesterday, when suddenly the camera pans across and there's an ambulance on the side of the track. Cut to World Class Finnish Javelin thrower Tero Pitkamaki holding his head in horror... and it all comes together.

It looks like a gust of wind sent Pitkamaki's wayward strike straight into the Long Jump area. French athlete Salim Sdiria was unfortunate enough to be standing in the javelins path. It didn't really need showing but for some reason the producers decided to show a replay, followed by a slow-mo, of the accident. Although it looked pretty horrific, Sdiria's wounds were reported to be 'not serious'.

Here's the clip if you're twisted enough to want to see it: (and you know you are...)

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT2l100KJe0"]

This accident looks to have understandably hampered Pitkamaki psychologically. He failed to win the event (though he had won the previous two) and lost his chance at the $1 million jackpot. I'm sure that will be the last thing on his mind today though. Pitkamaki is extremely well liked in the Track and Field scene and has the reputation of being a very nice guy, which is probably why he will take this so badly. But you have to ask, with this being the second time a javelin accident has occurred this year, perhaps new safety measures need to be brought in; Something like, oh I don't know, not running a Long Jump competition at the same time as a Javelin meet in order to satisfy T.V. scheduling...

Yeah, something like that.