The return of 100 m women

The last time a 100 m women race was ran on the meeting was on May 31, 2011. At that time, the legendary Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown offered the only 100 m under 11 in the history of the meeting with her  super performance of 10.76. That is, if we don't count Renate Stecher's hand-held 10.9 from 1973, which was then a world record. And now the most popular women sprint is returning. The reason being the talent from Ostrava, twenty-year-old Karolína Maňasová, member of SSK Vítkovice, the organiser of the meeting. Last summer, she improved the Czech national under-23 record to 11:26, won the national titles in the indoor and outdoor under-23 on 60 m. "I'm really looking forward to teh Golden Spike, it will be an amazing experience to run in front of the home crowd. I believe that the trobunes will be full. My preparation is running at full speed and the coach and I are thinking about further improvement," said Maňasová at the press conference.

There will be someone to pull behind, as the best European from last year's World Championship in Budapest has confirmed the start too. The sixth in Budapest, popular Polish Ewa Swoboda with her maximum of 10.94 and a total of three times under 11 seconds in her career. In addition, she won the 60 m at the 2019 EC Indoor and took silver at the same championship in 2017 and 2023 and has a best time of 6.99. "It will be my first Golden Spike, so I'm really looking forward to it. It will also be a very important start before the EC in Rome, where I would like to succeed. I know that the Ostrava track is fast, so my goal will be a time under 11 seconds. But I know the environment, I go to the Ostrava hall to train. And I also believe that the Polish fans will come to support me. It´s not far for them," said the twenty-six-year-old Swoboda.

Gardiner at 400 m

The first big foreign star of sprints at the Ostava Golden Spike 400 m Olympic winner Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas. His national record from the 2019 World Championships when he won the title of world champion, his time was 43.48. It's the best time for the last 4 years and sixth in the history of the 400 m. The organizers believe that he could be the first in the rich history of the meeting to beat 44 seconds. The 10 years old  meet record of LaShawn Merritt 44.16 from 2014 will be under threat. Gardiner won silver from the World Championships in London 2017 and bronze from the 2016 Olympics in the 4 x 400 m relay. In his career he has already run under 44 seconds six times. In 2023, he was the world leader with 43.74. Only an injury in the semi-finals prevented him from succeeding at the World Champion in Budapest. He won the Ostrava Golden Spike in 2019 with a time of 44.95 s, so in 2024 Ostrava awaits his second start.

Highlightes of 2023 Ostrava Golden Spike Edition

2023 Ostrava Golden Spike offered the best performance of the year /until September/ by Mondo Duplantis 612 cm in the pole vault. Five other high-quality records of the meeting were also set. For example, Olympic winner Jasmine Camachová-Quinnová in the 100 m hurdles 12.42 s., Ryan Crouser 22.63 m in the shot put, Kristjan Čeh 68.55 m in the discus or Diribe Weltejiová 3:57.38 in the 1500 m. Czech victory was recorded by Jakub Vadlejch in the javelin. The TV broadcast was distributed to in 140 countries around the world. The participants of the 62nd Ostrava Golden Spike won 15 medals at the World Championships in Budapest.

Javelin Stars

The meeting director, Jan Železný, traditionally prepares his group so that Ostrava Golden Spike is one of the highlights of the season. That is why we can look forward to the participation of the best Czech athlete of today, Jakub Vadlejch, who won bronze at the World Championships this year and won the Diamond League finals. In the women's category, the world's best javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi (66.00 m), winner of the World Championship and the Diamond League, will be presented, who is being by Czehc coach David Sekerák. The Japanese pushed the national record and the world performance of the year twice, first to 67.04 m in Chorzow and then to 67.38 m in Brussels. This is not far from the meeting record of Barbora Špotáková, who threw the javelin to a distance of 67.78 m in 2012.

News and innovations: 10 000 m and 4 x 400 mixed relay

There will be two exceptional evets presented to spectators. A 10 000 m race in which the organizers would like to offer a world record attack. Whether the competition will be men or women is a sectret at the moment. The use of light signaling, wave-light technology, which helps maintain the pace in running disciplines, is also planned to support the performance. In recent times, several world records have been achieved with the help of this technological innovation. Another specific feature of the Olympic Trial should be the mixed 4 x 400 m relay. National teams could attack the world record here. 

Zlatá tretra Ostrava and the SSK Vítkovice Athletics

Next year, the organizing athletic club SSK Vítkovice will also celebrate 100 years since its foundation. The launch of a book is being planned during the meeting. In addition to the publication SSK Vítkovice is preparing several new athletic events such as a special national meeting, new running event or establishment of the Club of Legends. 

Tickets

Tickets are on sale now and are sure to become one of the best Christmas gifts for any athletics fan. More information on ticket purchase at zlatatretra.cz.

Ticket price: 100 CZK

Ticket price for the main stand A: 1000 and 1500 CZK

Over 1000 tickets have been sold ath the moment.

The Chocolate Spike 2024

The popular children's competition the Chocolate Spikeis also in preparation. Traditionally, it will have its final on 5/28 in a great atmosphere just before the opening of the main race of the Ostrava Golden Spike. It will be preceded by the basic rounds in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and the international semi-finals. Host cities and other details will be announced in January.