Monday, July 27, 2009

Zivec Earns Silver Medal at Euro Juniors

Jacub Zivec, the Czech exchange student who attended Grand Rapids High School last fall, won the silver medal in the 5000 meters at last weekend's European Junior Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Zivec was runner-up to Azerbaijan's Hayle Ibrahimov in a PR 14:10.58. Ibrahimov won a wire-to-wire victory in 14:01.09.

Full results of the race are HERE.

This season, Zivec has run 3:46.36 for 1500m and 8:10.82 for 3000m.

In his brief stay in Minnesota, Zivec was not allowed to compete as a varsity runner in MSHSL competition, since he wasn't part of a recognized exchange program.

In the cross country post-season, however, Zivec finished 2nd at Nike Cross Nationals and 5th at the Footlocker Cross Country Finals.

Speaking of the Czech Republic ... Another Czech who was a Minnesotan briefly is also faring well.

Barbora Špotáková, the former University of Minnesota heptathlete who won the Olympic javelin gold medal in Beijing and later in the season broke the world record in the event, is currently ranked #2 on the 2009 world list.

Špotáková threw 223-10 in Prague back in June. Christina Obergföll of Germany has the best throw of the season so far at 225-0.

Špotáková, who threw 237-2 in Stuttgart, Germany to establish the new world record in 2008, has six of the longest twelve throws of 2009.

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