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| Czech javelin thrower Viteslav Vesely is geared-up to upset the big names at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki. |
Viteslav Vesely’s performance in producing a massive personal best of 88.11m in the javelin to defeat a field at the Samsung Diamond League meeting in Oslo which included all his major rivals has established him as the form thrower of 2012 so far. And he is heading for the place he calls “the sanctuary” of javelin throwing with the ambition of earning his first big international championship medal at the relatively advanced age of 29.
After taking a first round lead in the ExxonMobil Games in the Bislett Stadium with 83.07, Vesely’s effort two rounds later easily surpassed the personal best of 86.45 he set in Olomuoc two years ago and also eclipsed the early world leading distance of 86.31 set in April by Stuart Farquhar of New Zealand.
“Finally I got the lifetime best,” he said. “It is clear I can throw more. I passed the last two throws, but I was paying attention and I think I would be able to add something if necessary. My coach Jan Zelezny won here at Bislett also, so now I did the same. It is a great feeling.”
And now Vesely is hoping to achieve something his illustrious coach, for all his world and Olympic titles, has never achieved – a European gold medal. “Although he won the Olympics and the world championships, Jan never won the Europeans,” Vesely said. “If I am fit in Helsinki I would love to do it myself.”
Having finished ninth at the 2010 Europeans, and fourth in last year’s IAAF World Championships, he is edging closer to the podium in a big championship, and his performance in the Bislett arena only compounded his position of strength after earlier victories in the Shanghai Diamond League and Ostrava meetings, and second place in the Eugene Diamond League. “If I can stay fit and healthy I hope to do better than ever this year,” he said.
“It’s a strange situation to have the Europeans in the same year as the Olympics for the first time, but I think it can be a good preparation for what is to come. It is also maybe a little bit risky because the European Athletics Championships is a qualifying round and then a final, which is always a bit more demanding. But I want to use the opportunity.
“I am expecting there to be a very good atmosphere in Helsinki. I think for all javelin throwers this is the best place for a competition. I know what it is like, because I have been there before. As I said, it is the sanctuary for the javelin.
“Of course we have a big tradition of the javelin in the Czech Republic because of throwers like Jan Zelezny and Barbora Spotakova. But I think nothing is equal to Finland when it comes to the javelin, because of their tradition.
“When Tero Pitkamaki won the world title for Finland in 2007, it was said that there were five million people in Finland, and every one of them was a javelin expert! But I think it’s very good that such a land exists for the javelin.”
Vesely’s career has been a stop-start affair, although it has had a smoother course since he began training with Zelezny six years ago.
“Javelin throwing has been very difficult for me for many years,” he said. “I started a bit later than most of the other international throwers, when I was 18, but when I was 20 I gave the sport up. Then when I was 23 I started again. I was out for that time because I had a big problem with my elbow. I was unable to compete for almost two years.
“When Jan and I first worked together I was still a long way from being able to throw 80 metres. The key to my progression is that I have managed to stay healthy. You need to be healthy to have a good technique.
“Every individual has a different technique. I don’t think I have a similar technique to Jan. My technique is a lot simpler. When I first started working with Jan I tried copying him. But in the end I realised it was stupid to do that. You must throw the javelin how you feel is natural for you. You cannot just copy.”
Having finished ninth at the 2010 Europeans, and fourth in last year’s IAAF World Championships, he is edging closer to the podium in a big competition. “In order to be throwing 85, 86 metres and beyond regularly depends upon your health, and this year I am healthier than I was at this stage last year,” he said. “If I can stay fit and healthy I hope to do better than ever this year,” he said.
“Missing out on a World Championship medal by one place in Daegu last year was more motivation for me. It was a little bit frustrating because I knew I was in very good shape. But I didn’t sell it. So definitely this is a big motivation for 2012.
“I hope it Helsinki will be an ideal preparation before the Olympics – and that there will be nobody missing. Of course it depends on fitness, and also on whether it fits with everyone’s schedule.
“The start of the season is always a little bit uncertain for everyone. Some people make better starts than others, but things can change in the season. The most important thing is to be throwing well in the main competitions of the season.
“But I am glad that I have had such a terrific start to my season. The results have made me calm, and more confident in my technique. I know if I can stay healthy then I can have the same results or better later in the year. So we will see what happens with the medals in Helsinki.
“My aspirations – of course I will be going out there to do my best, and I will hope for a medal. Always, though, I am competing with myself more than with anyone else.”
European Athletics spoke with Viteslav Vesely on the sidelines of the Golden Spike meeting in Ostava last month. Click here to check out the brief interview with Vesely on our YouTube channel.