The Czech team will travel to Marrakesh for the World Youth Championships with 10 athletes, 6 boys and 4 girls who achieved the tougher standards set by the Czech Athletics Federation.
Shot putter Vladislav Tulacek who is the biggest medal hope celebrated last Saturday (July 9) his 17th birthday. He recently set a new national record of 20.40m with the 5kg-shot at the National Junior championships in Pardubice. That places him as number three in the current World U17 lists.
His coach is Jaroslav Brabec who himself was the first Czech shot putter to surpass 21 metres back in 1973 and who is also giving currently advice to legendary javelin thrower Jan Zelezny.
Tulacek could well continue the great czech throwing tradition and is scheduled to compete also in the discus where his best is 57.36m which gives him fare chances of making the final.
Another great talent is all-rounder Jan Kudlicka who achieved in June 5.09m in the Pole Vault and that makes him also part of the top 10 of the current world lists.
Female heptathletes Eliska Klucinova (5074) and highly talented Katerina Cachova (born 1990, her 5082 is new national U15 record) are also capable of reaching their respective finals and podiums.
Incidentally, Cachova comes from Ostrava, the city in the southeast of the country which will host the next edition of the World Youth Championships in 2007 and Cachova will still be eligible to compete.
The Czech team
(all born in 1988 except for Cachova 1990 and Hrstka 1989)
Boys
Vladislav Tulacek, SP/DT, 20.40, 57.36
Jakub Holusa, 2000mSC, 5:52.02
Jan Kudlicka, PV, 509
Petr Frydrych, JT, 70.65 (700 g)
Tomas Janda, HT, 67.97
Martin Hrstka, 800 m, 1:52.83
Girls
Katerina Cachova, Hep, 5082
Eliska Klucinova, Hep, 5074
Ivana Banacka, DT, 49.01
Katerina Cadova, JT, 48.08
Slovak hope is hammer thrower Lomnicka
Slovakia will send only four athletes to Morrocco. The current U17 generation is not so strong as the past ones. The greatest hope for a final placing is the hammer thrower Nikola Lomnicka who achieved this year 57.03m, a mark which places him among the top ten in world lists.
Her brother Marcel is one year older and is also a hammer thrower looking forward to compete at European Junior Championships.
Another good thrower is shot putter Robert Lobb with a best of 18.95m with the 5kg shot. He was recently 4th at the European Youth Olympic Days in Italy. Also in the team high jumper Martin Kalafus (2.03) and 400m hurdler Lucia Slanickova (62.01).
Alfons Juck for the IAAF
