Editor’s Note: Czech Indoor is one of the gems of indoor meets in Central Europe. Some of the best athletes have competed in Ostrava (which also hosts the Golden Spike every summer). This event is on my bucket list and I was planning to attend, but travel expenses at other events changed that, so I plan to see my friends in Ostrava, probably this summer for the outdoor event and also in 2027 for the Indoor.
As a Hungarian-American, I can remember my beloved grandfather telling his fifteen-year-old grandson about his old country, sometimes with tears in his eyes. At age 83, my grandfather told me stories about the Great War, leaving Austria-Hungary at the end of the 19th century for America.
In 2023, I visited Budapest and felt at home. The language I knew was sometimes spoken to me by my grandfather Adam. All these years later, I still remember.
Watching athletes from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and most of Central and Eastern Europe has always fascinated me.
Attila Molnar’s ER cannot be underestimated. Molnar broke Thomas Schonlebe’s European record 38 years ago. Now Molnar, one of Hungary’s best athletes, has put his name in the European record book.
Molnár 45.01 ER, Furlani beat Tentoglu, 10 match records, 5 world leaders, U20 WR
OSTRAVA (PRC, February 3). Ten meeting records, five world leaders and a European record in the 400m race. Attila Molnar highlighted the first European WIT Gold meet of the season, the Czech Indoor Gala. Molnar, a two-time World Indoor finalist, clocked 45.01 in his season opener to beat Thomas Schönlebe’s 38-year-old record (tied by Karsten Warholm in 2019) by 0.04s. Dutch Jonas Fijfers finished second (45.48 PBi) and homegrown talent Tomas Horak set a new U20NRi 46.31 (third European all-time) to finish fourth.
Mattia Furlani won the European Clash of the Titans in the long jump, jumping to 830 MR ahead of Miltiadis Tentoglu (823) and Bozhidar Saraboykov (821). Men’s 800m 1:43.83 EL/MR/NRi by Elliot Crestan, beating Maciej Wyderka (1:44.07 NRi/PB), Mark English (1:44.23 NRi), Samuel Chapple (1:44.75 PBi) and Marino C. 25. 1500m World Champion Isaac Nader 7:38.05 MR/NR defeated Tshepo Tshite (7:38.17 NRi) in 3000m.
Liek Klaver topped the 400m in 51.00 WL ahead of Lourdes Gloria Manuel (51.12 PBi) and Emma Zapletalova (51.24 NRi). Pia Skrishovska dominated the 60m hurdles with 7.80 (7.78 WL/MR in heats) over Alaysha Johnson (7.88), while Estonia’s Krete Verlin finished fifth with 8.03 NR. Jordan Geist improved the shot put WL to 22.04 (20.80-22.04-x-21.31-21.85-21).
Zeinab Dosso was fastest in the 60m with a 7.09 (also 6.09 WL/2nd fastest ever in a European 50m split heat) ahead of Patricia van der Weken (7.14, 7.13 in heats). Jakub Szymanski posted a 7.48 MR in the 60m hurdles over Eric Edwards (7.53 PB). Nigist Getachev led the 800m in 1:59.98 MR ahead of Gabriela Gajanova (2:00.45 NRi), while Tina Shutey won the 470 (attempted in 483) and beat Amalie Shvabikova (460) in the pole vault. Also of note is the women’s 800m B-race winner, European U20 medalist Jiva Remić of Slovenia, who clocked 2:00.73 U18 European Indoor All-Time Best (2nd World All-Time)/U20NR and World Indoor Standard time.
