news-detail__perex">There was a certain symbolism in it. The national jersey with the motif of spears, paying tribute to the most successful Czech athletics discipline, brought happiness to Nikola Ogrodníková at the right moment. In the Olympic final at the sold-out Stade de France, she threw the spike apparatus a distance of 63.68 meters, earning her an amazing bronze against strong competition! Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchiová, the protege of Czech coach David Sekerák, rejoiced at the gold.
At the same time, Ogrodníková faced the threat of not advancing to the top eight. After the second series, she recorded only 58.13 meters in the list of performances and closed the ranking of the twelve-person final.
Then came the turning point.
In honor of his triumph, the winner of the 5,000 meter run Jakob Ingebrigtsen rang the bell at the track, where at that moment the Dukla athlete was also preparing for her attempt, in honor of his triumph. That seemed to wake her up. She took off and sent the javelin at a season high of 63.68 meters!
She shortened her run
Just before that, she cut her run short due to concerns about missteps. “I somehow simplified it. I just looked ahead, closed my top and threw,” she commented on her actions in the sector before the key moment of the competition.
Only Kitaguchiová (65.80) and South African Jo-Ane Van Dyková (63.93) threw further. “I wasn’t thinking about medals. I had the limit for the World Championships in Tokyo (64 meters) in my head. I wanted a season best and I managed to do that.”
The thirty-three-year-old Czech woman could thus rejoice in her life’s success. The biggest so far was the silver at the European Championships in Berlin 2018. “I don’t know what to say. I still can’t get it,” she said after arriving among the journalists.
She spiced up her second start under five rings with an unexpected bronze. She did not hide her emotion. “It sounds absolutely beautiful, dreamlike.” Success was even predicted. Her partner, Petr Vrána, a hockey player from Třinec, with whom she is raising his son Leo, told her that Leo believes he will finish third. “It really happened! It really happened,” said Ogrodníková in euphoria.
She said she didn’t notice the ringing before the successful third attempt. “Just playing music. I thought, yeah, now I have to. I’ll just throw it in there.’
She left Jan Železný’s group in the winter, she was not having an easy time. She was preparing herself. Well, she performed her longest throw since 2021, when she sent the javelin to a distance of 65.16 at the Zlatá tretra.
From the fourth series, she was on edge as to whether one of her opponents would topple her. Especially during the last attempt of the fourth Sára Koláková from Croatia, the Olympic champion from Rio 2016. “I thought she could push me, but I expected that if she threw me over, I would return it to her,” she smiled.
She knew she had it in her
The Croatian showed a performance of 63.03, and at that moment Ogrodníková knew that no one would take away the coveted plate from her. “I was still concentrating to throw. I really wanted to cry when I stood there and cheered the audience. I thought to myself: ‘Yes, I already have a medal.’ I tried to concentrate so that I could still perform, but it was very difficult,” she confided.
She had her loved ones right at the stadium. “I am very happy that they could be here. It meant a lot to me already to advance to the finals. I was very happy for the whole year, a lot of great things happened to me,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I knew I still had it in me. I was just looking for the right way. I mainly needed to be healthy, for which I am very grateful to my physiotherapist, who has actually been taking care of me for the second year. Everything came together and fit together beautifully. And it’s this beautiful bronze,” she was speechless.
And she added a message for younger generations. “I would like to tell young athletes not to give up too soon and to last until they are adults. That’s where it’s important. Until then, results don’t matter. It was also part of my journey. That’s how I grew up.”
She expected Kitaguchi’s first place differently. “Haruka was the number one favorite. But I’m very happy that Jo (Van Dyková) finished in second place, because she had a great season. She is my great friend. I’m happy for her too. We will experience joy together,” she added.