Tomas Horak broke the European indoor U20 200m record twice at the Czech Indoor Championships in Ostrava on Sunday (1).
The 17-year-old ran 20.74 in the heat before smashing the previous record of 20.79 even more in the final with 20.65, subject to ratification.
William Trulsson of Sweden was the record-holder after setting 20.79 over the distance just last year in Vaxjo at the Swedish Indoor Championships.
His time also moves him to joint-second on the all time Czech indoor 200m list with just three-time world indoor and European 400m champion Pavel Maslak having ran faster.
This also comes exactly a week after the talented teen shattered the European indoor U20 400m record with 45.64, taking more than half-a-second off the previous mark.
After opening his season with a 21.45 200m on 13 January, Horak has been steadily decreasing his time over both the 200m and 400m to break both records.
Last year Horak was also part of Czechia’s gold medal-winning 4x400m at the Tampere 2025 European Athletics U20 Championships and will also be eligible for the next edition in Bydgoszcz 2027 too.
Horak has achieved the qualifying standard for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy-Pomorze from 20-22 March over 400m and he has confirmed he will be competing in Poland later this month.
"I did not expect such a fast time in the heats, but wanted to secure a good lane for finals. Afterwards I had enough power and achieved another faster times in the finals. I have great coaches and they prepared a great plan for me for last two weekends.
"It was a good choice to run the 200m at the senior nationals. I’m looking forward to the Worlds and I hope for faster 400m times in Torun," he said.
Horak's priority outdoors is the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon but he could compete in the relays at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham from 10-16 August.
Main photo courtesy of Matyas Klapa