Successful 50th jubilee Ostrava Golden Spike meeting
2011-07-05 12:22 by Administrator
Golden Spike (Zlatá tretra in Czech) is an athletics meeting held in Ostrava since 1961. Thanks to the successful handling of the event in 2002, the International Athletics Federation has classified the Zlatá tretra Meeting among Super Grand Prix category meetings in 2003.
For the last two years, the meeting director is the triple Olympic Champion javelin legend Mr. Jan Železný, who has been doing a wonderful job organizing this meeting.
He was satisfied after this year's successful 50th jubilee Ostrava Golden Spike meeting.
In total 3 world leads and 7 meet records in excellent weather and before full stadium (18 000 this time allowed) was a superb birthday party for the meet. In the stands legends like Irena Szewinska, Donovan Bailey, Maurice Greene, Uwe Hohn, Grazyna Rabsztyn, Tana Kocembova, Imrich Bugar, Sarka Kasparkova, Roman Sebrle, Helena Fibingerova added by ice-hockey star Jaromir Jagr and legendary tennis player Ivan Lendl.
The best mark of the evening was the 100 m improvement of Veronica Campbell-Brown to 10.76 in the 100 m. It is 8th best performer, 20th best performance ever and 4th fastest performer after 2000. And for statisticians the world best at 100 yards when she was timed en-route to her 100 m world lead with 9.91 (and Katerina Cechova 10.49 European best).
Usain Bolt achieved 9.14 in the 100 y split. Of course there would be faster times, but were not officially timed. Another top ones included four seconds meet record improvement of Paul Kipsiele Koech in solo steeple race after 1.8 km (and missed WL by only 0.27), first ever sub 48 second in Czech Republic by LJ Van Zyl. Others were close. Ivan Ukhov with Raul Spank at would-be WL 236. Silke Spiegelburg also tried 472 WL in the pole vault. Mariya Abakumova missed the WL in javelin by 8 cm, De Zordo got second best mark of the season in javelin. Betty Heidler got 9th best ever hammer performance. Blade Runner Oscar Pistorius clocked his fourth fastest of the career 46.19 and best at IAAF category meeting. Interesting outing by US hurdler Johnny Dutch who first improved his season best to 48.72 at 400 m hurdles and after 50 minutes won the B-race at 110 m hurdles with another 2011 top mark 13.64. Usain Bolt won for fifth time in Ostrava (2006, 2008-11) and Dayron Robles for fourth time (2008-11).
Zelezny was asked by Czech media whether the meet would be ready to join the prestigious Samsung Diamond League in case such a possibility opens. "As we said from the beginning the Ostrava meeting is ready and would be happy to join the series at any time. One important step is that the stadium will be renovated and standing places will be changed to seating positions. The work will start in autumn, first Ostrava will host in July the European U23 Championships,” said meeting director Zelezny.
The European U23 Championships will start on July 14th in Ostrava.
The provisional date for the 51st Golden Spike meeting in 2012 is May 25.
Click here the photos Miklos Nemeth took at this year's Golden Spike meeting