Krestan, Molnar and Klaver lead a record night in Ostrava
The World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet in Ostrava delivered an evening that was both familiar and historic, as returning champions, rising European stars and global leaders rewrote meeting protocols and transformed the indoor landscape with performances that have meaning beyond a single arena.
Here are the top 5 performances in Ostrava.
Eliot Crestan turns the 800m into history
Along with all the records set on the night, the performance that truly defined Ostrava came from Elliot Krestan, whose command of the men’s 800m produced one of the greatest indoor races ever witnessed. The contest was unusually relaxed with the paceman guiding the field through half in 51.04 and the runners settling into single file, allowing the quality of the field to breathe rather than collide. As Poland’s Maciej Wyderka surged ahead entering the final lap, Krestan waited, measured and ready, before sliding past with the confidence of an athlete at the peak of his powers. Her 1:43.83 not only broke her own meet record, but moved her to fourth on the world short track all-time list, with the depth of the race highlighted by multiple national records and top marks in what became the fastest indoor 800m in history.
Attila Molnar is rewriting the European 400m standard
The men’s 400m belonged to Attila Molnar, who delivered a performance based on rhythm, control and absolute clarity of purpose. From the opening steps, Molnar established himself at the front, crossing the halfway mark in 21.45 and keeping his composure as Jonas Fijfers pressed throughout. There was no panic in the closing meters as Molnar crossed the line in 45.01 to set a new European short track record and better his own meet mark. The run was a natural next step for an athlete who has cemented his status as a European indoor benchmark, and it reinforced that his ceiling continues to rise with each passing season.
The women’s 1500m is hosted by Birke Hylom
In the women’s 1500m, Birke Heilom produced a race that mixed power with poise, leading from the front and refusing to relinquish control even as the speed and pressure mounted. Highlom committed to the pace early and carried it coolly, responding smoothly as compatriot Sharon Berhe began to close in the closing stages. His winning time of 4:00.62 secured both a world lead and a meeting record, while second to Berhe hinted at his own historic potential.
Mattia Furlani wins the duel of champions
The men’s long jump turned out to be one of the most exciting field events of the meet, with Mattia Furlani emerging as its centerpiece thanks to timing and flexibility. Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Saraboykov and Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglu saw early momentum swing as each round reshaped the history of the competition. Furlani stayed in contention, equaling Saraboykov’s 8.21m, before responding decisively in the fifth round with a meet record 8.30m jump to secure victory.
Liek Klaver maintains his Ostrava love affair
The women’s 400m provided another reminder of Liek Klaver’s affinity for Ostrava as she turned in a world-leading performance that felt both efficient and confident. Claver controlled the race from the start, running smoothly through the corners and powering down the home straight to stop the clock at 51.00. The quality behind him, including personal bests and national records, further elevated the race and reinforced the sense that Claver’s consistency indoors remains one of his defining strengths.
