by Alfonz Juck
The sixty-third Golden Spike meeting, held in Ostrava, Czech Republic, is a Continental Tour Gold meeting. It is a sporting gem in Central Europe. A history of fantastic fields and some amazing global stars, from Usain Bold to Mondo Duplantis, from Ewa Swoboda to Yelena Isinbayeva.
Each year, our friend, Alfonz Juck , brings in the best athletes to Central Europe and the crowd is entertained with a fantastic meeting!
Sedjati 1:43.51 WL, Duplantis 600, Caudery 484
OSTRAVA (CZE, May 28): 2022 World medallist Djamel Sedjati of Algeria, quite unexpectedly, highlighted the Ostrava Gold Spike (WACT Gold) with a world lead of 1:43.51 in his first 800m of the season. Both pole vault competitions delivered excellent performances; Armand Duplantis cleared 600 and, in a bit colder weather with a side wind, tried the new WR at 625 (with a pretty good third attempt). Molly Caudery cleared 484, a meeting record and outdoor world lead, ahead of Ekateríni Stefanidi (464).
Andre De Grasse achieved a sprint double within 80 minutes with 10.10 (0.0) in the 100m, Marcell Jacobs was third (10.19), and 20.09 (0.4) in the 200m. About 10,000 enthusiastic spectators also saw interesting 400m races with Steven Gardiner (44.39) hardly defeating Belgium’s Alexander Doom, his 44.44 is an European lead, personal best and position in the European all-time top 10. Natalia Kaczmarek won quite comfortably in 50.09, but the sensation came from second Lurdes Gloria Manuel (still only 18) of the Czech Republic; she clocked 50.59, a personal best, U20 national record and, above all an Olympic standard, it is also U20 EL and the fourth fastest European U20 time ever (behind three GDR girls).
Leonardo Fabbri won the shot put with 22.40 over US Jordan Geist (22.09 PB), and Julian Weber (87.26) outperformed local hero Jakub Vadlejch (86.08) in the javelin. New European leads were achieved in both 400m hurdles races, Cathelijn Peters of Netherlands with 54.31, also PB, ahead of Lina Nielsen (54.81), and Alessandro Sibilio with 48.25 over Matic Ian Guček (48.37 Slovenian NR). Ewa Swoboda won the 100m in 11.05 (0.7) ahead of Gambia’s Gina Bass (11.14) and Ditaji Kambundji topped the 100m hurdles in 12.68 (-0.6) over Pia Skrzyszowska (12.71).
In the 1500m, victory for Ciara Mageean (4:01.98) ahead of Irish fellow Sarah Healy (4:02.12) and the Briton Revee Walcott-Nolan (4:02.42 PB, Paris standard). In the men’s race, Federico Riva of Italy in 3:33.53 PB over Raphael Pallitsch (3:33.59 Austrian NR) and Ireland’s Luke McCann (3:34.32 PB). Affected by heavy rain at the beginning of the meeting, Haruka Kitaguchi topped the women’s javelin with 60.47. Poland’s Norbert Kobielski and Shelby McEwen of the USA jointly won the high jump, clearing 224, and Poland topped the 4x100m relay (38.99).
