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News22 Apr 2004


Zelezny - Fourth Olympic gold in focus

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Jan Zelezny in action (© Getty Images)

The legendary javelin thrower Jan Zelezny has reteuned home after a long but important training camp in Potchestroom, South Africa, where he has been since early January.

He was smiling and in a good mood, although his javelins had been lost somewhere on the route, Johannesburg - London - Prague. 

"It was very important preparation for this season. This is for me a very important year too, because I want to be in the best possible shape for the Olympic Games in Athens."

"Of course my dream is to win, but if it will not happen, I can live with it. But I want to have the best possible shape in order to achieve that goal," he said.

It is not a minor goal, as to win a fourth Olympic gold in single event has only been achieved so far by Carl Lewis in Long Jump and Al Oerter in Discus Throw.

"But I'm doing it not because of statistics, but to show myself that I'm capable to do it," he explained.

Training has gone well

Regarding his training spell in South Africa - "I was able to do in training everything what was planned and needed. For most of the time I had a physio with me and that helped a lot. I tried to use a technique which I last used in 1997, which due to an operation I have not been able to do since." 

"It went well and I was able to throw regularly around 82-83 metres and that is good. I always can add metres in competitions, and that gives me motivation to throw again over 90 metres. I definitely was able to train more than last year."

Doha competition start

Zelezny has decided to start the season at the Qatar IAAF Super Grand Prix Meeting in Doha on 14 May.

"I have never been there before and there are not many meetings where I have not been present so I decided to go." 

IOC Athletes Commission

To the usual questions about end of his long and successful career he answers with a smile: "We will see after Athens."

And that is for sure, because in Athens the decision about his IOC Membership will be made. Jan is again bidding for the place in Athletes Commission. He already was there but in autumn 2001 after discussion with IOC President Jacques Rogge he resigned to concentrate on his track career. 

"I do not want to be only a member, I want to be an active member and while being also an active athlete, that was not possible," he said at the time. After Athens he will know - about his javelin career and about his 'new' sports career.

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