News

World Athletics inaugurated its Continental Tour in 2020, a series designed to showcase the world's best one-day meetings outside the Diamond League. While its roll-out wasn't quite as envisioned when it was announced last November, the series nonetheless illustrated how the sport, its organisers and athletes managed to adapt to and overcome the tremendous challenges, road blocks and disruptions that the global Covid-19 pandemic threw in its path.

Impressive victories by Jacob Kiplimo, Ryan Crouser, Christian Taylor and Faith Kipyegon produced the key highlights at the Golden Spike, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Tuesday (8).

Soon, he will celebrate his 20th birthday and he already belongs to the most shining stars of the athletic world. The Norwegian athlete Jakob Ingebrigsten was the last major name announced by the Ostrava Golden Spike organisers as the latest addition to the start lists. The double European champion from Berlin 2018 will run the 1500m.

To have the pole vaulters Sam Kendricks and Renaud Lavillenie at the meeting is a dream of the organizers of the biggest events in the world. In Ostrava, spectators will see them both on Tuesday. It will for sure be one of the tops of the Golden Spike. And moreover, Sam Kendricks celebrates his 28th birthday today.

The record of Golden Spike in shot-put is 22.27 metres. On Tuesday evening, this record held by Tomas Walsh from New Zealand will be attacked. Spectators will be able to watch performance of brilliant American shot-putter Ryan Crouser. He already threw as far as 22.91 metres this year. Also the record of 68.06 metres in discus throw held by Delis from Cuba can be a history tomorrow. Daniel Stahl from Sweden threw over 70 metres this year already.

Norwegian star Karsten Warholm wants to break the world record, which is still held by American Kevin Young from 1992 Olympics in Barcelona with time 46,78. Lately at a meeting in Stockholm, Warholm was only 0.9 seconds slower and set the new European record with time 46,87. He came to Ostrava in an extraordinary shape by thy private jet.

Double world champion Dafne Schippers from the Netherlands did not find a conqueror two years ago at Golden Spike. But it was her favourite 200m run. This time, untraditional 150m sprint is awaiting her, but she will for sure be one of the favourites. Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands broke the world record in 1 hour race last weekend. In Ostrava she will run 5000m and wants to break her personal record.

The main star of Ostrava Golden Spike, Karsten Warholm, arrived in a good mood at Ostrava Airport on Sunday afternoon. His discipline 400 m Hurdles, where he attacked the world record in the last starts, will be the last in the program of the 59th edition of the meeting at 20.35 h as the absolute climax of the race. "I feel in great shape. Everything is working so far, we had a great flight. The weather is also improving. I will try to improve my best again. I heard that there will also be spectators and that makes me even happier, "he said after his arrival. On Sunday, he wants to see the stadium, which he knows from the 2018 Continental Cup, but will have his debut at the meet. On Monday, he will have a training session and a meeting with the media.

One of the most followed persons in World of Athletics currently, Norwegian World champion at 400 m hurdles confirmed his participation at Ostrava Golden Spike on September 8. Recently in Stockholm he missed the World record of Kevin Young only by 0.09 and wants also in Ostrava Stadium attack the best possible time.

Meet director, legendary javelin thrower, Jan Zelezny announced latest top names for the 59^th edition of Ostrava Golden Spike (WACT Gold). On September 8 in shot put Olympic winner Ryan Crouser will test his special shape in Europe. Triple jump will bring the duel of current top three names, Christian Taylor against African record holder Fabrice Zango Hugues and another 18+ jumper Pedro Pablo Pichardo.

On Wednesday 19th August, two international athletic meetings took place, where it was interesting to follow the performances of the athletes expected in Ostrava. In Bydgoszcz, Poland, the Irena Szewinska Memorial, the 1500m was won by Jemma Reeki in 4:09.01. The men´s shot put victory went to Mihal Haratyk with 21.61m ahead of Filip Mihailevic (21.35). Swiss Ajla Del Ponte, who will run 150m in Ostrava, won the women´s 100m in meeting record 11.18. Matthew Ramsden of Australia preparing for 1500m in Ostrava won the 2000m in great 4:55.44, while Filip Sasínek (also scheduled for 1500m at GS) finished third improving the Czech record to 4:57.60. The world champion Sam Kendricks, who triumphed in the pole vault with 580cm, prepares his comeback to Ostrava in the role of the meeting record holder, when he jumped 593 last year.

One month before the 59^th Ostrava Golden Spike meeting, the organisers continue their hard work with the preparation of this year´s event, which will be the part of the new World Athletics Continental Tour Gold for the first time on 8th September 2020. The whole Tour starts on 11^th September in Turku, Finland, with the Paavo Nurmi Games.

Next stars of the athletics world, who will decorate the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike meeting, have been announced by the organisers. Double world champion Dafne Schippers of Nederland, a great showman of the men´s high jump and the world indoor champion Gianmarco Tamberi, strong discus throwers or the best Czech high jumper nowadays Marek Bahník.   

Ostrava Golden Spike is shaken by passing of the European Athletics President Mr. Svein Arne Hansen. On 20th June, European Athletics lost the leader who pushed the changes and innovations and athletes themselves into the spotlight. The Norwegian collector and businessman with the stamps, Svein Arne Hansen lost his three months fight after the stroke. He was 74. He was full of plans of how and where to push the European athletics. He was able to get it into the good financial situation with no affairs or missteps. He was very focused on the questions of integrity and anti-doping. He was often a guest of the Czech athletic meetings, of course, also Ostrava Golden Spike a couple of times. On the international level, he was helping the European meetings including Ostrava.

The rich meeting tradition, the general interest of the event and the improving situation not only in the Czech Republic but plenty European countries bring back the hope that also in the new date, on 8th September , we will see the best home athletes as well as the foreign opponents on the start. There are two Diamond League meetings planned before Ostrava: in Brussels on Friday 4th September and in Paris on 6th September. At the same date, the Continental Tour meeting in the nearby Polish city of Chorzów will take place. It means that the athletes will be able to travel within the actual possibilities and they will be available. The organizers will confirm the final program of the events during July. The ticket sale is still going on via Ticketstream.

The international track and field season 2020 has finally been confirmed by the World Athletics. It will happen in an experimental form in the period of August – October. The Czech number one among the meetings, the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike will take place, as already known, on 8th September accompanied by the Diamond League and Continental Tour events.

Due to the recent situation, we announce that the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike - World Athletics Continental Tour Gold will not be held on the planned date at the end of May, however, after the agreement with the World Athletics, it will take place on Tuesday 8th September 2020.

The earlier date of the postponed summer Olympic Games will help to achieve better performances, stated the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting director Jan Železný. “I believe we will have a profit from the earlier date of the Olympics. Athletes will time their shape to earlier date and thus I believe, we will have the chance to see plenty great performances,” said Železný at the press conference in Ostrava last Thursday.