Barbora Spotakova (CZE) - 67.12m national record in Stuttgart (© Getty Images)
Tábor, Czech RepublicThe Czech national championships took place over two days in the middle of Bohemia – Friday 4 and Saturday 5 July.
Day One
In the women’s 100m Hurdles Lucie Škrobáková’s 13.03sec run in her heat broke the 11-year-old national record of of Iveta Rudová by two hundreds of a second, and her own PB by 0.04 respectively.
Then in the final, crowd enjoyed the sight of a Czech athlete first time under 13 seconds barrier ever. “It is great. All I had wanted has been fulfilled,” said new Czech record holder. Her winning time was 12.93 (+1.0 m/s) and it took her fifth national title.
In the men’s 110m Hurdles, Petr Svoboda who had equalled Jirí Hudec’s national record time of 13.48 (1987) at Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava and improved the mark to 13.43 (Odložil’s Memorial) and then 13.41 in Lille meet 13.41, ran a fantastic effort on Friday. His new record of 13.29 in his heat is Europe’s leading mark of 2008.
“I was thinking it had been a joke when I saw the time,” Svoboda said shaking his head. “It has not been the ideal race yet.”
The new national record breaker was DQ’d in the final which was won by Stanislav Sajdok Stanislav in 13.70.
Another amazing feat was nearly seen in the women’s Javelin Throw. But for a 10cm foot-fault World champion Barbora Špotákova would have had a valid result of over 70m. “I keep 70 metres in my mind,” she said. Anyway, Špotáková secured her fifth national title with her best valid throw of 64.47m which came in the sixth round.
Other Czech records were endangered. Lukáš Milo improved his Olympic qualifying standard by 0.01 s up to 10.26 sec (+1.9 m/s) to win the men’s 100m and confirm his third position in the country’s all-time list behind Ivan Šlehobr (10.24). Jan Velebaa ran 10.33 for second place.
The women’s dash was taken by Katerina Cechová, European Junior bronze medallist, win in 11.57sec just two hundreds of second off her PB.
Tomáš Janku won the High Jump in an ‘A’ qualifier.
Katerina Šafránková, the key woman of the junior squad for Bydgoszcz, ensured senior gold by throwing her Hammer to 67.47m.
Pole vaulter Jan Kudlicka won with 5.62m, but he is not secured for the Olympic Games.
Day Two
Triple jumper Martina Šestáková (formerly Darmovzalová) landed at 14.16m in the last round her first time beyond 14m in her career and is only 4cm away from the Beijing qualifying mark.
The first three 200m men set their personal bests in a tight finish. The title was acquired by Vojtech Šulc, European U23 silver medallist, (20.69) ahead of Jan Schiller (20.78), both broke their PB by a hundred of a second. Lukáš Milo, winner of 100m ran under 21 seconds for the first time for third (20.89).
Denisa Šcerbová won the Long Jump with 6.52m, so misses this event in Beijing but she is already making the trip in the Heptathlon. She also added another national title with a solid 200m – 23.57 –upsetting the winner of 100m, Katerina Cechová (23.85).
Both Olympic qualified high jumpers Romana Dubnova and Iva Straková cleared 1.94m. Dubnova grabbed the title, as she jumped this height at first attempt whereas Straková took three attempts.
Long jumper Roman Novotný again missed the chance to qualify for Beijing, he won with 7.99m. A solid effort was also shown by Štepán Wagner (7.84)
In Discus Throw Libor Malina acquired an amazing 12th national title at the champs (62.88m). Second was Jan Marcell (61.57).
Vera Cechlová, Beijing qualifier, had no problems to win her sixth gold at the nationals (59.81m)
Hammer thrower Lukáš Melich, another Czech name already on the list for the Olympics, confirmed his dominance by winning with 76.17m.
The 400 and 800 metres were won as expected by two men who are heading for Beijing, respectively Rudolf Götz (46.55) and Jakub Holuša (1:50.86).
Michal Procházka for the IAAF
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