Shot putter Tom Walsh of New Zealand (© Getty Images)
Organisers of the Czech Indoor Gala have announced another wave of global and European medallists for the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava on 30 January.
Two-time world indoor champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand leads a strong field for the men’s shot put. The 2017 world champion, who holds the Oceania record of 22.90m, will take on four men who have won continental titles: European champion Filip Mihaljevic, 2021 European indoor champion Tomas Stanek, 2018 European champion Michal Haratyk and 2017 European indoor champion Konrad Bukowiecki.
Despite winning his first world indoor medal almost a decade ago, this will be Walsh’s first indoor competition outside of the World Indoor Championships.
Two more reigning European champions will be in action in the women’s 60m hurdles, taking on the woman who won in Ostrava last year.
USA’s Alaysha Johnson clocked 7.87 to win the Czech Indoor Gala in 2023, then went on to clock a PB of 7.82 and win the US indoor title. The Pan-American bronze medallist, who has an outdoor PB of 12.35, will face European champion Pia Skrzyszkowska, European indoor champion Reetta Hurske and 2018 world indoor bronze medallist Nadine Visser.
Three-time world indoor champion Pavel Maslak takes on Hungarian record-holder Attila Molnar in the men’s 400m. World mixed relay bronze medallist Patrik Sorm and multiple Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Pohorilko are also in the line-up.
