For the next four weeks, Nike is sponsoring a daily homage to the World Indoors by RunBlogRun. From Monday to Friday, we feature athletes from US, UK, Europe, Africa and Asia. On Saturdays and Sundays, we feature a great moment from World Indoor Championship history, again thanks to sponsor, Nike. We hope that you like this series.
Pavel Maslak wins 2013 European Indoors! photo by PhotoRun.net
Today, we feature, for Week Five, Day 3, Pavel Maslak is our European athlete for this week, as we focus on Birmingham 2018.
In 2012, Pavel Maslak won the European Outdoor championships at 400 meters. He had finished fifth in the World Indoor final 400 meters in 2012.
Pavel Maslak is to the 400 meter indoors what Eamonn Coghlan was to the indoor mile. His focus, his speed and his finish indoors are all parts of his domination of the 400 meters on the boards.
Pavel Maslak, photo by PhotoRun.net
Maslak has won European gold at 400 meters in 2013, 2015 and 2017. His Czech team for the 4x400 meters, took bronze medals in 2013, 2015 and 2017. His World Indoor titles are from 2014 and 2016.
Pavel Maslak wins World Indoors 2016! photo by PhotoRun.net
There is a confidence among Americans that they own the 400 meters, outdoors. Not the same indoors. Pavel Maslak won in Sopot in 2014 and came back, winning in Portland in 2016.
With a PB outdoors of 44.94 (Doha, 2014) and PB indoors of 45.24 (Sopot, 2014), the 1.76m (5'9.5") Czech runs the turns well, and gets the energy from the track and the fans. He is fast and furious during the 400 meters, almost perfectly built for the indoor 400 meters.
How will the Czech do in 2018? Can he take three World Indoors in a row as he has taken three European Indoors?
Well, in four weeks, we find out!
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