Preview: Duplantis Leads Star-Studded Line-Up at 2025 Ostrava Golden Spike

Posted by: Watch Athletics

The 2025 Ostrava Golden Spike meeting, set for Tuesday, June 24, in Ostrava, Czech Republic, promises a night of world-class athletics with a lineup headlined by pole vault superstar Armand Duplantis, 400m hurdles world champion Femke Bol, and Olympic javelin gold medallist Neeraj Chopra. The meet, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold, will feature global champions, national record holders, and rising teenage sensations across a packed schedule of elite events.

Men’s Pole Vault: Duplantis Returns for Fourth Ostrava Appearance

Armand "Mondo" Duplantis will compete in Ostrava for the fourth time, just nine days after breaking his own world record. The Swedish superstar holds the meeting record at 6.12m, set in 2023, and remains unbeaten this season, with victories in Xiamen (5.92m), Keqiao (6.11m), Oslo (6.15m), and Stockholm, where he soared to 6.28m to register the 12th world record of his career.

In 2024, he claimed his third world indoor title in Nanjing with 6.15m, also surpassing 100 career clearances over six meters. In Ostrava, he renews his rivalry with Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis, who won world indoor silver with 6.05m and cleared 6.01m outdoors in Keqiao. Australia’s Kurtis Marshall, world bronze medallist in Budapest, comes off a 5.90m performance in Stockholm. Other challengers include Sondre Guttormsen, Austin Miller (PB 5.91m), and Czech hopefuls.

Duplantis: “Vaulting right in front of the main stand, that direct contact with fans, it’s something I really enjoy. Maybe I’ll even attack the meeting record, or go higher — it depends on the weather.”

Women’s 400m: Bol Faces Naser and Bukowiecka in Stacked Field

Femke Bol will make her outdoor debut in the 400m flat, having already dominated the hurdles this year with wins in Rabat (52.46), Hengelo (52.51), and Stockholm (52.11). The Dutch star, who holds the world indoor 400m record (49.17), owns an outdoor best of 49.44 from the 2022 European Championships.

She faces elite opposition including 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser, who ran 48.67 this year in Kingston, and Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (Bukowiecka), who set a Polish record of 48.90 in London and claimed world silver in Budapest, European gold in Rome, and Olympic bronze in Paris.

Chile’s Martina Weil, daughter of Ximena Restrepo and Gert Weil, broke the national record in Paris with 49.83 and finished fourth at the World Indoors in Nanjing. Also in the mix is Lynna Irby, who ran 49.87 in Paris.

Men’s Javelin: Chopra Eyes Another Big Throw

Neeraj Chopra arrives in Ostrava after a strong victory in Paris (88.16m), having thrown a season’s best of 90.23m in Doha. Coached by meeting director Jan Železný, the Olympic champion from Tokyo and reigning world champion continues to inspire millions across India.

Chopra: “I’ve already thrown 90m this year, and I feel ready. I’m really happy to compete at this historic meet, where my coach has also triumphed many times.”

Women’s Javelin: Kitaguchi Headlines Deep Field

Haruka Kitaguchi, world and Olympic champion, returns to Czech soil where she trains during the summer. She’s won Diamond League titles in 2023 and 2024 and threw 64.63m in Oslo this season.

She’ll be challenged by Adriana Vilagos of Serbia, who set a 2025 world lead of 67.22m in Split, and China’s Yan Ziyi, who broke the U20 world record with 64.83m in Chengdu.

Men’s 110m Hurdles: Holloway Looks to Rebound

Olympic and three-time world champion Grant Holloway returns to action after a fifth-place finish in Paris (13.11). The second-fastest hurdler in history (12.81) will face in-form American Dylan Beard (PB 13.02), winner in Turku and Zagreb.

Women’s Sprint Hurdles and Sprints

In the women’s 100m hurdles, world record holder Tobi Amusan meets Alaysha Johnson, who ran 12.31 to qualify for the Olympics and placed seventh in Paris. Amusan clocked 12.24 in Paris this season.

Marie-Josée Ta Lou Smith leads the 100m flat field against Amy Hunt (PB 11.03), Cambrea Sturgis, and Zoe Hobbs. Hunt was runner-up in the 200m in Paris (22.45), while Hobbs won in Turku (11.07).

Men’s 200m: Gout Gout Makes European Debut

Australian teenage phenom Gout Gout will make his European debut. At just 17, he set a national record of 20.04 and ran wind-assisted times of 19.84 and 9.99. He’ll face Cuba’s Reynier Mena, who won in Oslo (20.20) and Stockholm (20.05), along with Britain’s Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Slovakia’s Jan Volko.

Gout Gout: “Usain Bolt raced here nine times. I’m excited to test myself and see how far I’ve progressed.”

Men’s Shot Put: Fabbri Leads Italian Charge

Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri, world silver medallist and European champion, returns to defend his 2024 Ostrava title (22.40). He leads the 2025 world list with 22.31. Training partner Zane Weir and Czech star Tomas Stanek (bronze at Euro Indoors) will also be in contention.

Middle-Distance Showdowns

Men’s 1500m: Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech, who set a U20 world record of 3:27.72 in Paris, leads the field. He’s joined by world indoor 800m champ Josh Hoey (1:43.00 SB), Portugal’s Isaac Nader (Dream Mile winner), and Narve Gilje Nordås of Norway.

Women’s 800m: Prudence Sekgodiso, world indoor champion, faces Anna Wielgosz of Poland and Oratile Nowe (1:58.47 SB).

Men’s 800m: Australian record-holder Peter Bol (1:43.79 indoor) takes on Dutch champion Samuel Chapple (1:44.65).

400m and Hurdles Events

Men’s 400m: Christopher Morales Williams (Canada) races Jonas Phijffers (Netherlands). Morales won in Rovereto (45.02), while Phijffers ran 44.93 in Hengelo.

Men’s 400m Hurdles: Brazil’s Maheus Lima, who clocked 48.08 in Keqiao and 44.63 flat, starts as the favourite.

Field Events: High Jump and Women’s Pole Vault

Men’s High Jump: Czech silver medallist Jan Stefela takes on 2007 world champion Donald Thomas and Italians Stefano Sottile (4th in Paris), Manuel Lando, and Marco Fassinotti (2.25m in Rabat).

Women’s Pole Vault: Slovenia’s Tina Šutej, runner-up at both the European and World Indoors, returns after wins in Ostrava in 2022 (4.65m) and 2023 (4.64m).

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