One last throw - Jan Zelezny in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic (© Tomas Bem Photography)
Mlada Boleslav, Czech RepublicIt was at 17.53hrs (GMT + 2hrs) yesterday (19) in the stadium of his home town that the best javelin thrower of all-time, Jan Zelezny, bade farewell to his local fans with his very last throw.
Queen’s “We are the Champions” played on the stadium''s loudspeakers, and the clapping of nearly 2000 people accompanied the moment.
As always in his life Zelezny tried very hard, and the result was the best throw of the evening - 82.19 metres. Not bad at the age of 40, after a 20 year long international career. Because it was his exhibition meeting he choose only a four throw competition, and what great marks he achieved: 81.92 - X – 81.99 – 82.19.
It was Zelezny’s 246th competition since 1986, and it was his 210th over 80 metres.
After the competition he felt a lot of pain in his Achilles and was forced to cancel his participation in the Yokohama meeting in Japan which was supposed to be have been his last.
Interestingly the stadium in Mlada Boleslav, the venue for his last competition, bears his name but it is an arena in which he had never competed before.
Appropriately, on hand in the stadium to witness Zelezny's retirement was Dana Zatopkova, the 1952 women's Olympic Javelin champion, wife of course of the late Emil Zatopek, the triple Olympic distance running champion from those Helsinki Olympics.
"I got too much from sports, more than I ever expected,” said Zelezny who stayed signing autographs until all requests were satisfied. “Now is the time to return something back.”
He has always been a proud father. He was asked which moments of his life were the best and he said that was when his children were born. Of course all the medals and titles too were important but his children always came first.
Zelezny will continue as coach at his Dukla Praha club, as an official (IOC Member), even as an ambassador (Golden Spike meeting of Ostrava), and with many other activities and projects with which he wants to remain in sports.
"But now I will be on the opposite side. Until now I was the one for whom all the others coaches, doctors, managers worked. Now I will be the one who is going to be there and help others.”
"I think sometimes somebody will come and will be better than me in the javelin."
It’s a huge task, as for example the average of the three-time World and Olympic champion’s best 100 throws is 90.70m!
Alfons Juck for the IAAF
Previous stories concerning Zelezny’s retirement:
ZELEZNY - Farewell to a legend - World Athletics Final
http://www.iaaf.org/WAF06/news/Kind=2/newsId=36183.html
Zelezny 'officially' passes the torch
http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=35622.html
Zelezny's home farewell, dozens of World and Olympic champions on tap in Ostrava - Golden Spike preview
http://www.iaaf.org/GP06/news/Kind=2/newsId=34795.html
The beer is on Zelezny, as he maps out his last season
http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=34468.html
Zelezny officially announces that he will retire at end of 2006
http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=33535.html
