Jan Zelezny (r) presents his WR javelin to Valter Bocek, CEO of the IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018 (© LOC)
The Czech Republic’s three-time Olympic and World javelin throw champion Jan Zelezny visited the IAAF Heritage World / Continental Cup - 1977 To 2018 - Exhibition earlier today to make a major donation to the displays.
The exhibition, which is located on the first floor of the Forum Nova Karolina Shopping Centre in the heart of the Czech city of Ostrava, is running for three months until the final day of the IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018 on 9 September.
Zelezny, who travelled from Prague this morning, brought with him a very special gift which he officially presented to Valter Bocek, Chief Executive Officer of the IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018
On the 25 May 1996 in the third round of the Zeiss Meeting in Jena, Germany, Zelezny threw a world record of 98.48 metres (323 ft 1 in) which, 22 years later, remains the best javelin throw of all-time.
Thanks to Zelezny’s tremendous generosity, the javelin which he hurled on that day to set the fifth world record of his career is now on public display in Ostrava, along with 200 other items from the history of athletics.
“I’m really pleased to contribute my world record javelin to the IAAF Heritage Collection knowing that it will be on public show here in Ostrava and next year in Doha,” commented Zelezny, who was victorious in the 6th IAAF World Cup in Havana, Cuba in 1992 with 88.26m. “I hope the donation of this javelin will help motivate sports fans to discover the beauty and excitement of athletics for many generations to come.”
Spanning the period from the ancient Olympic Games right up to the present day, the exhibition brings together video, text and photographic displays covering 260m2 of shop space in the ultra-modern shopping centre and entertainment complex.
The IAAF Heritage World / Continental Cup - 1977 To 2018 - Exhibition is kindly supported by the International Athletics Foundation, ASICS, Seiko, TDK and Mondo and is delivered by IAAF Heritage along with the Czech Athletics Federation and the LOC of the IAAF Continental Cup Ostrava 2018. We thank the Forum Nova Karolina Shopping Centre for their support and assistance in hosting the exhibition.
IAAF
