by Alfonz Juck
Editor’s note: The Czech Indoor is one of the jewels of indoor meetings in Central Europe. Some of the finest athletes competed in Ostrava (which also hosts the Golden Spike each summer). This event is on my bucket list, and I was planning to attend, but travel costs on other events changed that, so, I am planning to see my friends in Ostrava perhaps this summer for the Outdoor event and also in 2027 for the Indoor.
As a Hungarian-American, I can recall my dear grandfather, telling a fifteen year old grandson about his old country, sometimes with tears in his eyes. At 83, my grandfather told me stories about the Great War, leaving Austria-Hungary at the end of the 19th century and venturing to America.
In 2023, I visited Budapest and felt at home. The language, which I recognized, was sometimes spoke to me by my grandfather, Adam. All those years later I can still recall.
Watching athletes from Czechia, Hungary, Croatia and much of Central and Eastern Europe has always fascinated me.
Attila Molnár’s ER should not be underestimated. Molnár took out the record of Thomas Schönlebe’s European record, from 38 years ago. Now Molnár, one of Hungary’s finest athletes, has put his name in the European record books.
Molnár 45.01 ER, Furlani beat Tentoglou, 10 meeting records, 5 world leads, U20 WR
OSTRAVA (CZE, Feb 3): Ten meeting records, five world leads and European record in the 400m by Attila Molnár highlighted the first European WIT Gold meeting of the season, the Czech Indoor Gala. Two-time World Indoor finalist Molnár, in his season opener, clocked 45.01 and broke Thomas Schönlebe’s 38-year-old record (equalled by Karsten Warholm in 2019) by 0.04 sec. Jonas Phijffers of Netherlands finished second (45.48 PBi), while home talent Tomáš Horák set a new U20NRi of 46.31 (third European all-time) finishing fourth.
Mattia Furlani won the European clash of titans in the long jump leaping to 830 MR ahead of Miltiadis Tentoglou (823) and Bozhidar Saraboyukov (821). The men’s 800m delivered EL/MR/NRi of 1:43.83 by Eliott Crestan, winning from Maciej Wyderka (1:44.07 NRi/PB), Mark English (1:44.23 NRi), Samuel Chapple (1:44.75 PBi) and Marino Bloudek (1:45.27 NRi for Croatia). 1500m World champion Isaac Nader won the 3000m in 7:38.05 MR/NR over Tshepo Tshite (7:38.17 NRi).
Lieke Klaver topped the 400m in 51.00 WL ahead of Lurdes Gloria Manuel (51.12 PBi) and Emma Zapletalová (51.24 NRi). Pia Skrzyszowska dominated the 60m hurdles in 7.80 (7.78 WL/MR in heats) over Alaysha Johnson (7.88) with Estonia’s Kreete Verlin finishing fifth in 8.03 NR. Jordan Geist improved the shot put WL to 22.04 (20.80-22.04-x-21.31-21.85-21.
Zaynab Dosso was the fastest in the 60m with 7.09 (also 6.09 WL/2nd fastest ever by an European 50m split in heats) ahead of Patrizia van der Weken (7.14, 7.13 in heats). Jakub Szymanski clocked 7.48 MR in the 60m hurdles over Eric Edwards (7.53 PB). Nigist Getachew topped the 800m in 1:59.98 MR ahead of Gabriela Gajanová (2:00.45 NRi), and Tina Šutej cleared 470 (tried at 483) and won the pole vault over Amálie Švábíková (460). Also to note the winner of the women’s 800m B-race, European U20 medallist Živa Remic of Slovenia, who clocked 2:00.73 U18 European indoor all-time best (2nd world all-time)/U20NR and World Indoors standard.
