A strong javelin competition ahead in Ostrava. Double Olympic champion Barbora Špotáková with current world number two Nikola Ogrodníková will appear in the sector. After the women's competition (begins at 4.30 PM), there will be a series of men's duel led by Vice World Champion Jakub Vadlejch. Leaders of the Czech javelin ranking talked about their expectations with the media.

 

 

 

Vadlejch: I hope to show this year's best performance. This year, I'm starting a little bit slower, but maybe it is the best way to get the Doha form. Magnus Kirt probably has a life form, it won't be easy to beat him. I believe it will be a great competition, guys will make their personal bests and meet the limits for the World Championships and the Olympics. 

 

Ogrodníková: I look forward to tomorrow, it will be a big competition, it won't be easy. I will raise the biggest fight with Barbora Špotáková and Sara Kolak. I feel good, I'm in a good mood, I'm looking forward to being home. It is a great pleasure for me to see my family before the competition.

 

Jan Železný, event director and world record holder in javelin throw: I look forward to the meeting very much. The female javelin competition starts at 4:30 pm and it will be very interesting. I invite everybody to come. This year, Nikola Ogrodníková performed an excellent 67.40 m, which is worthy of the Olympic medal. Bára Špotáková will also compete here and the Olympic champion Sara Kolaková is returning after the injury. It will be a great competition! In the men's sector, in addition to the Czech athletes, Magnus Kirt, who is in high quality form, is actually holding the world record with the left hand throw. So the men's competition will also be exciting.

 

 

Vadlejch:  My back is in an incomparably better condition than last year. I'm trying to work on it, my state is currently stabilised. When I do compensatory exercises after the competition, it is healthily in a sustainable state.

 

Ogrodníková: I feel my back from that far throw in Offenburg. I am a bit worried about it, I do not go to fights very much for the training, but I concentrate on the competition. I think it will be good, just after the race more difficult to get together.

 

 

Vadlejch:  I have great memories for this stadium. Last year, I had the best competition here, I threw over 88 meters (Vadlejch won with 88,36m), in the terrible weather. I did well here also during the Continental Cup. The Golden Spike is one of the highlights of the season for me, I am always preparing for it.

 

Ogrodníková: I only have the best memories of this stadium. I like it a lot here. In bad weather I can hardly achieve good results, but we can not blame anybody for the weather. I will have about 20 people from my family here, so I am very happy. It's my home stadium.

 

 

Vadlejch:  Bad weather this year will surely pass by, I hope that even the storms, that are announced won’t come. For me, the most important thing is that it will be warm. This is the base. I don’t like cold weather, now we had 12 degrees in Oslo, which really bothered me. I’m looking forward for a sunny Golden Spike meeting.

 

 

Vadlejch:  It's a big plus for our discipline. Javelin begins to be talked about, in the stadiums it is one of the most visible disciplines, seen from every corner of the stadium. Indians or athletes from Grenada were added to the start list, showing the popularity of javelin. It may happen that 90m will be more common to throw, in the past we have seen this performance a few times a year. I believe it will motivate me too.

 

Železný: Javelin has become a global discipline. The Indians got to the starting lists, but also athletes from Japan, Taiwan or Grenada started to throw very good. Javelin became more interesting. On the other hand, the chance to win a medal at the top event is smaller, you must throw over 88 m. The 90m limit is a quality demonstration, who can throw so much, can be very satisfied