News01 Dec 2012


Walcott and Adams among first signees for Ostrava

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Valerie Adams of New Zealand competes in the Women's Shot Put final on Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 6, 2012 (© Getty Images)

1 December 2012 – Ostrava, Czech Republic – Although Ostrava City Stadium is currently under reconstruction and looks like a big construction site, organisers of 52nd Ostrava Golden Spike Meeting - IAAF World Challenge - announced their first top names for the 27 June competition.

The first major headliners announced by Meeting Director Jan Zelezny include Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago and New Zealand’s Valerie Adams, the Olympic champions in the Javelin Throw and Shot Put, and home stars and European champions Pavel Maslak in the 400m and javelin thrower Vitezslav Vesely.

“It is always great opportunity to be able to compete along with the best in the world,” said Walcott. “Ostrava has historically been a place for many phenomenal feats on the track and in the field events. I expect this one in 2013 to be no different. A world class field and venue will produce some great performances and I am preparing for greatness. I am honoured by the invitation of the best javelin thrower ever. For Walcott, who is still 19, Ostrava was the first professional appearance he’s confirmed.

Maslak hopes to have a top field in the 400m which hopes to attack the 44.70 meeting record set by Alberto Junatorena in 1976, the meet’s oldest. For Maslak this will be his fifth appearance at the meet but hid first in the 400m where he improved in his first year at the distance to 44.91.

For the first time in 22 years the women’s Shot Put will be staged and first name confirmed is the event’s biggest: twice Olympic champion Adams.

“It will be my first opportunity to compete in the Golden Spike of Ostrava, a meeting of great tradition and one that boasts a fabulous history in throwing events,” said Adams. “Over the years there have been many great throwers coming from this region and I might even get a chance to meet the legendary Helena Fibingerova.”

The meet moved it’s usual late spring date by one month to provide more time for the reconstruction to be completed.

Organisers for the IAAF

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