Evaluation of MČR and MU Poděbrady walking 2020 coach of the Czech national team Kateřina Čermáková

The traditional meeting in Poděbrady in 2020 took place unconventionally in the autumn. Instead of pink flowers, colorful leaves flew here. However, in this unusual season, we are very grateful that this race was possible. The meeting was appreciated not only by Czech competitors, who were able to "sell" the work done for the entire last season, but also by foreign competitors, of whom there was a surprising number.

Due to the complex epidemiological situation, only an adult team was evaluated for MU this time.

Men:  

He won his fifth title in a row Lukáš Gdula, who overall ranked 15th in 1:27:07. Lukáš performed his standard performance and due to the preparation for the distance of 50 km we can be satisfied with his performance. All the more so because Lukáš fought injuries this season.

Lukáš's younger colleague took second place in the Czech Championships, Vítek HlavaNo. Overall, Vítek took 17th place in the time of 1:28:21. Vítek paid for the stylistic uncertainty at the beginning of the race, when he found it more difficult to compare with the technique in the first quarter of the track.

In the next course, the race from the perspective of our pair clearly dominated. Without a two-minute penalty on the 23th kilometer, Vítek could have managed to break his personal record from last year's UXNUMX European Championships.

From the point of view of preparation for the distance of 50 km, his performance is promising. If we look at the team's perspective from the team's point of view, our 2 best teenagers look promising: Jaromír Morávek and Adam Zajíček.  For two years, these competitors will still start in the junior category. During the meeting in Poděbrady, their performance was very solid.

Women: 

The first title was won Tereza Ďurdiakováwhich finished 5th overall in 1:33:54. Terka has only been walking since the end of February and is already showing great performances, which is a great promise for the future. Excellent physical condition and functional preconditions in connection with "untreated" technology are a precondition that even a sharp limit at the Olympics would not have to be a utopian vision at Terka.

She finished the race just behind Tereza Ďurdiaková Anežka Drahotová. Anežka was only five seconds behind Terka with a time of 1:33:59. Overall, Anežka took 6th place. It is obvious that Anežka is slowly returning to the performance we are used to. During the race, she also showed fighting spirit and effort. Like Lukáš, Anežka also fought injuries during the season, so the resulting performance is promising.

Overall, it won 14th place and 3rd place in the Czech Championships Eliška Martínková. Eliška completed 20 km in her time in 1:42:39. The junior was not afraid of the distance next year and her performance and way of racing is very commendable.

From the perspective of the team, it is necessary not to overlook that overall, another junior finished the race in 15th place. Peer and training partner Eliška, Jana Zikmundová. The above information indicates great hope for building a competitive women's team.

Conclusion: Podebrady is a clear indicator of the result of joint training work, ie centralization and connection of training of adult representatives and youth. Only Anežka Drahotová, who is not entitled to it due to past results, is preparing independently.

Mutual respect, cooperation and a common "move" to the goal can be seen. As far as possible, other young promising competitors are also joining the team's training.

 Kateřina Čermáková, national walking coach of the Czech Republic