Mondo Duplantis in action in Ostrava (© Anna Spundova)
Global champions Mondo Duplantis, Gianmarco Tamberi and Marcell Jacobs will be among the stars in action when the Ostrava Golden Spike – this season’s sixth World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – returns on 28 May.
World pole vault record-holder Duplantis was among the five meeting record-breakers at last year’s event in Ostrava, clearing 6.12m to achieve his second win at the event.
He went on to improve his world record to 6.23m at the end of the season in Eugene and will return to Ostrava as a two-time world and two-time world indoor champion, following his victories in Budapest and Glasgow.
“I am so excited to be coming back to Ostrava for the third time,” said Sweden’s Duplantis. “I had great form last year and I hope to do better in the upcoming year. It could be super fun, a nice tune-up before the Olympics, and I hope to jump high.”
The field will also feature Czech athletes Matej Scerba and David Holy.
In the men’s high jump, Italy’s Olympic and world champion Tamberi will look to make a statement ahead of the European Championships. The Ostrava meeting is set to be his sole competition before the continental event in Rome.
“I am really looking forward to competing,” said Tamberi, who returns to Ostrava for the fourth time. “I love the atmosphere, I love the track, I love the weather. I love that place to jump. I am really looking forward to jumping high there.”
Among his competition will be Czech champion Jan Stefela.
Over on the track, Italy’s Olympic 100m champion Jacobs will race at the Ostrava Golden Spike for the first time as he works towards the European Championships on home soil.
“It is going to be my first time in Ostrava. I could not miss the opportunity to run in front of such a great audience and on the very fast track,” he said.
Organisers have already announced Haruka Kitaguchi, Steven Gardiner and Ewa Swoboda for the event at the Mestsky Stadion.
