The Czech Indoor Gala 2026 kicks off tomorrow
"No fewer than seven of the twelve disciplines will feature returning meet record holders. We shall welcome ten medallists from the World Championships in Tokyo and eleven European indoor champions from Apeldoorn. I should like to thank the Moravian-Silesian Region and the city of Ostrava. We rank among the world's top indoor meets, and none of this would be possible without their support. I am confident that tomorrow promises much to anticipate, and that further meet records will fall once more—even if the bar is already set exceedingly high," remarked Libor Varhaník, chairman of the Czech Athletics Federation.
The Czech Indoor Gala enjoys immense popularity in the region, as confirmed by Josef Bělica, governor of the Moravian-Silesian Region. "The region and the city have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to host top-tier sporting events. Athletics, however, is the queen of sports, with a vast fan base, as evidenced by the tickets selling out in record time. I am sure we have much to look forward to tomorrow."
Ostrava's mayor, Jan Dohnal, in turn, assures that the event brings mutual benefits. 'Ostrava has long hosted a series of major events. Athletics stands out among them, as it is truly a global sport. The meet itself is vital for promoting the city, given the extensive broadcasts, and tomorrow we shall be the athletics capital.'
The Ostrava crowd will undoubtedly cheer fervently for home sprinter Karolína Maňasová, coached by Ivo Pištěk. She currently tops the women's world indoor lists for the season with her new national record of 7.05. 'The Czech Indoor Gala is my second biggest highlight after the World Indoor Championships in Toruń in the coming weeks. This is home for me, and I love racing in a familiar environment—it will be an advantage. I should like to repeat a time under 7.10,' she revealed of her ambitions for tomorrow's race.
One of her fiercest rivals will be last year's winner, Patrizia van der Weken. The Luxembourg national record holder crowned her year-old triumph with 7.07—just a hundredth off the meet record. "I always race well in Ostrava. I love it here. I still feel a touch of fatigue from winter training, but I am in good shape and hope to match last year's time. Repeating that would be fantastic. I am really looking forward to the battle with Karolína, who has run a blisteringly fast time right at the start of the season," said the bronze medallist from both major indoor athletics events last year.
The women's 400m should be one of the meet's highlights. The leading Czech hope is Lurdes Gloria Manuel, junior world champion and fourth at last year's European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, returning after nearly a year's injury lay-off. "I have raced at the Czech Indoor Gala virtually every year. I love the atmosphere here. It feels like home, and I always enjoy coming back. We have done a huge amount of work, so I hope to reap the rewards this season. I do not have a specific time in mind, but after tomorrow's race—which I am eagerly anticipating—I want to feel good. I hope Lieke and I will push each other to the very best performances," she said ahead of her duel with her star training partner.
Lieke Klaver has enjoyed extraordinary success in Ostrava. She has won the Czech Indoor Gala three times in a row and, since 2024, holds the meet record of 50.54. Now the European indoor champion from Apeldoorn will chase a fourth consecutive victory. " I always feel fantastic energy in Ostrava, which is why I love coming back. We have made some changes in training, and I feel great, so I am really excited for the race and believe I can go under 51 seconds."
The main programme of the Czech Indoor Gala 2026 begins at 16.20 with a ceremonial opening, and live coverage on ČT sport starts at 16.50.
The international Czech Indoor Gala is held with significant financial support from the Moravian-Silesian Region and the statutory city of Ostrava.