Sebrle
again in full training
Alfons Juck for
the IAAF
18 December 2001 – Prague, Czech
Republic - Decathlon World record holder
and barrier breaker Roman Sebrle from
the Czech Republic is again in full
training. He spent the last two weeks at
Grand Canaria for a training camp in the
group with new coach Dalibor Kupka.
“I’m totally satisfied. Everything went according to plan. I was able to train at the same level as my colleagues, that is a good feeling.
“The fact that I had no pain gives me good hope. I’m already looking forward to another training camp which we will start on January 10 in Potchefstroom, South Africa,” said Sebrle, who had groin surgery some time ago in Germany. Due to this injury he finished only 10th at World Championships in Edmonton.
During the holidays he will of course continue to train in Praha and during the stay in South Africa he will decide whether to compete at the European Indoor Championships in Vienna. “I would be happy to go, but I must be in top shape. No way I will compete as in Edmonton and not being fully healthy,” he added.
One change in the Kupka group is of interest. The Czech record holder at 400 m Hurdles Jiri Muzik (7th in Edmonton) decided to run indoors after coming back from South Africa.
Now the whole Czech public is waiting for Friday when the sportsman of the year awards will be announced. Sebrle along with javelin legend Jan Zelezny are among the favourites.
The prestigious daily newspaper “Lidove Noviny” organised a poll among top Czech sports legends with the question who is the best sportsman in the world 2001. Zelezny won and Sebrle was second, Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong (USA) was relegated to third place.
According to the poll of the European Sports Press Union (UEPS) (voted by 48 countries) athletes got good positions. In the men´s rankings 4th was Kostadinos Kederis of Greece and 5th Zelezny. In the women´s order Zhanna Pintusevich-Block of Ukraine was 3rd. The winners were motor racing hero Michael Schumacher (Germany) and Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina.
