Josef Odlozil, 1500m silver medallist from the 1964 Olympics (© Josef Odlozil Memorial)
The annual Memorial meeting – IAAF GPII - dedicated to Josef Odlozil, the 1500m silver medal winner from the 1964 Olympics and former World record holder at 2000 metres, will be held in Prague’s Juliska Stadium on Sunday 29 June.
Organizers of meeting have announced the participation of many world stars, between them six Olympic winners, six World and five European Champions.
The central event of Memorial, the men’s 1500 metres contains two Olympic winners, Kenyan Noah Ngeny (2000) and Spain’s Fermin Cacho (1992), and this race should be the pick of the meeting. These two stars will face tough opposition from Spain’s 1998 European Champion Reyes Estévez, and 2001 World Indoor Champion Rui Silva of Portugal.
Two American shot putters with personal best over 22 metres will be on show in the men’s Shot Put. Triple World champion John Godina, and Adam Nelson will try to defeat their European opponents headed by World indoor champion Manuel Martinez of Spain.
The main figures in the men’s Hammer throw will be Japanese star Koji Murofushi, silver medallist from 2001 World Championships and the current world season leader, and two Hungarian opponents, 1996 Olympic Champion Balazs Kiss, and 2002 European Champion Adrian Annus.
The stars of men’s Long Jump will be Cuban legend Ivan Pedroso, the reigning Olympic and quadruple World Champion, and Savante Stringfellow from USA, who leads this year world outdoor with 8.46m. They will face Ukraine’s 2002 European champion Aleksey Lukashevich, and Kareem Streete -Thompson from Cayman Islands.
Other Cuban stars, Olympic champion and World silver medallist Anier Garcia, and 1996 World Junior Champion Yoel Hernandez, take on Duane Ross from USA in the 110m Hurdles.
The top names from the women's start list will be World Pole Vault record holder Stacy Dragila. The USA’s Olympic and World champion will meet Europe's jumpers with local star, the former World and European Indoor champion Pavla Hamackova, and Ukraine’s 1998 European Champion Anzhela Balakhonova, her chief opponents.
The women’s Discus Throw will present local fans with a battle between young Czech Thrower Vera Pospisil, and Russia’s 2001 World champion Natalya Sadova.
