WALKING ELITE MEASURES FORCES IN OLOMOUC

selected graphicsPoděbrady has traditionally been the venue for the Czech Republic's men's and women's 20-kilometer walking championships. This year, however, the top domestic will compete for championship titles on Saturday, April 10 in Olomouc. Foreign guests could also help our best for fast times.

Both championship races will be the expected revenge for the previous championship, which took place in mid-October in Poděbrady. Tereza Ďurdiaková surprised the woman when she defeated the five-time champion Anežka Drahotová in a close duel by five seconds and won her premiere title. She managed it only after a few months of special walking training. Until then, she was involved in endurance running. Its steep performance growth continues this season. On March 20, she moved the value of her career maximum to 1:30:52 in Dudince, which managed to break the sharp qualification limit for the Olympic Games in Tokyo and ranked third in the Czech historical tables behind Anežka Drahotová and Barbora Dibelková. The good racing mood makes her want to defend the title from the last championship. "My main goal for this season was to meet the limit for the Olympic Games, which I succeeded in the first race. I would like to enjoy my start in Olomouc and we will see what it will be enough for. I have already started preparations for the 35 kilometers that I want to go within the European Team Championships in Poděbrady and where I would like to meet the nomination requirements for the start of the World Championships in Eugene, " she let herself be heard.

However, the Czech record holder Anežka Drahotová also has the highest ambitions. Our historically most successful pedestrian has not raced since the last championship race. There is certainly also a time of 1:31 in her viewfinder, which would ensure her a start under five circles and, of course, a return to the Czech walking throne. If Anežka managed to win, she would call sixth gold on Barbora Dibelková in the long-term statistics of the Chodec Championship. In total, it already has eight precious metals in its collection. "I'm looking forward to the race, even though the preparation was far from ideal. I know I can't expect a great performance. The race is part of the preparations on the way to the Olympic Games. I'm expecting a tough fight for the Czech title and I'm really looking forward to that drama, " she said.

The bronze medal will be defended by Eliška Martínková. The trustee of coach Kateřina Čermáková, who defends the colors of AC Turnov, has already shown a promising form in Dudince this year, where on the ten-kilometer track she sovereignly met the nomination requirements for the European Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.

The men's championship race also had a very interesting course at the previous championship. In the autumn in Poděbrady, Vít Hlaváč seemed to be comfortable with his premiere title on the 20-kilometer track, thus interrupting the reign of the more experienced Lukáš Gdula. However, his vision was disrupted by a fourth offense against the rules and a subsequent penalty, which opened the way for Gdul to the sixth title. Hlaváč had to settle for silver for the fourth time in a row. In Olomouc, however, he could expect a gold medal, as it should be a slight favorite, even considering that in Dudince he defeated Gdula in a fifty relatively convincing way. So will youth or experience win in Olomouc?

In addition to our best pedestrians, interesting foreign names should also appear at the start. Among the women in the preliminary entries are, for example, the silver woman from the last Commonwealth Games, Alana Barberová from New Zealand or the bronze from the South American Walking Championships, Mary Luz Andia from Peru. Among the favorites are also strong Colombians Sandra Arenas and Sandra Galvis. The men's race should be adorned by the participation of the world champion in the twenties from 2017 Cuban Eider Arevalo. The bronze medal from the last Pan American Games, José Alejandro Barrondo from Guatemala and the Pole Rafal Fedaczynski, should also take the starting line.