Ostrava, Nov 24 – The best eastern european one day meeting Golden Spike (Zlata tretra) of Ostrava is already looking forward to its next edition – already the 46th. It will be special because the date is radically changed from end of may/early june period to end of June. Exactly on Wednesday, June 27. The reasons for this switch are easy explained by meet director Zdenek Duplak: „In last two editions we had very bad weather, it was mainly cold, also rainy and windy. After discussing with our sponsors we came to the conclusion that we must do something. There was a free place in World Athletics Tour calendar after US nationals so we have chosen a new date. It also has two more important advantages. We will not be anymore with date conflict with Eugene meeting in USA and also we are aware of the fact that World Championships in Osaka are having a later date that means top athletes will start to compete later. All in all we hope that the last week of school in our country will be a good choice.“ It is interesting that Golden Spike was never in its history held on June 27, last time it was organised in end of June period was back in 1993.
First star announced for next edition is the best female high hurdler of the planet – US world champion Michelle Perry. From a solid heptathlete back in 2004 (14th at Olympic Games) she was rapidly hurdles number one in 2005 and backed this position in 2006 with bettering her personal best to 12.43. She was 12th times quicker during the year than the meet record of 12.65. That means the organisers are hoping that she will break this mark.
„Year 2006 was a very successful year for me and I am grateful. I’ve set standards extremely high for 2007. I look forward to a golden season. I expect to run well in Ostrava. Provided with good conditions, the meet record is definitely a posibility,“ she said in a quote for the organisers.
At the press conference which launched the next years Golden Spike also new mayor of city of Ostrava Petr Kajnar was present (city elections were held just one month ago). The plan for next June is also clear – on Monday June 25 the „Chocolate spike“ will be held (an unique event for school boys and girls who are competing in running events – about 1000 children), on Tuesday on June 26 as in last year hammer competitions for men and women will be held and on Wednesday June 27 the main event.
This year the jubilee 45th meet despite bad weather had the third best score in the history of the meet (only 2003 and 2004 editions were better). Six meet records were broken, 17 Gothenburg medallists were competing, More than 60 results were included into the top ten all time lists of the meet and more than 30 results into the top ten all-comers lists of Czech Republic. It was again televised into more than 120 countries and two big names made there their farewell appearances – Jan Zelezny and Hicham El Guerrouj.
Results from past editions and all-time lists at www.zlatatretra.cz