Vítězslav Veselý | Today's AI Wiki

1. Early Life and Background

Vítězslav Veselý was born on 27 February 1983, in Hodonín, Czechoslovakia. He holds Czech nationality. Standing at 6.1 ft ^{(1.86 m)} tall and weighing 207 lb ^{(94 kg)}, he committed to a career in javelin throwing. He trains at the Dukla Praha club and is coached by the legendary Czech javelin thrower, Jan Železný, a three-time Olympic champion and world record holder.

2. Career

Vítězslav Veselý's professional career saw him rise through the ranks to become one of the world's leading javelin throwers, marked by significant progression in his personal bests and notable performances across various international competitions.

2.1. Early Career and Development

Veselý began his international competitive career by finishing ninth at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics with a throw of 226 ft ^{(68.76 m)}. His first appearance at the Summer Olympics was in 2008 in Beijing, where he achieved a personal best throw of 266 ft ^{(81.2 m)} during the qualifying round, ultimately finishing 12th in the final with a mark of 252 ft ^{(76.76 m)}. The following year, at his debut World Championships in Athletics in 2009, he was less successful, failing to make the final with a throw of 249 ft ^{(75.76 m)}.

In May 2010, Veselý significantly improved his personal best by more than 16 ft ^{(5 m)} at a meeting in Olomouc, where he recorded a world-leading mark of 284 ft ^{(86.45 m)}. Later that year, he finished ninth at the 2010 European Athletics Championships. He came close to a major medal at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, securing a fourth-place finish with a throw of 276 ft ^{(84.11 m)}. In May 2012, he continued his strong form by winning the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, a Diamond League meet, with a mark of 280 ft ^{(85.4 m)}, which was his second-best throw at the time. Further demonstrating his peak performance in 2012, he won the Bislett Games with 289 ft ^{(88.11 m)}, setting a new season world best.

2.2. Major International Championships

Veselý secured a gold medal at the 2012 European Athletics Championships held in Helsinki, achieving a winning throw of 275 ft ^{(83.72 m)}. In 2013, he achieved a career highlight by winning the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow with a remarkable throw of 286 ft ^{(87.17 m)}. This victory made him the second Czech world champion in men's javelin throw, following in the footsteps of his coach, Jan Železný. His winning mark was a mere 3.9 in ^{(10 cm)} ahead of Tero Pitkämäki, who threw 286 ft ^{(87.07 m)}.

In 2014, Veselý earned a silver medal at the 2014 European Athletics Championships in Zürich with a throw of 278 ft ^{(84.79 m)}, placing him behind Antti Ruuskanen, who delivered an exceptional performance with 289 ft ^{(88.01 m)}. That same year, he also won gold at the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup. He continued to perform strongly in the Diamond League, becoming the overall champion in the javelin throw discipline for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons, accumulating 14 points in 2012. At the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing, he finished 8th with 273 ft ^{(83.13 m)}. He added another European silver medal to his collection at the 2016 European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam, throwing 274 ft ^{(83.59 m)}. His performance at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London saw him finish 26th in the qualifying round with 248 ft ^{(75.5 m)}. He did not start at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha. Most recently, he placed 4th at the 2022 European Athletics Championships in Munich with a mark of 277 ft ^{(84.36 m)}.

2.3. Olympic Performances

Veselý has participated in multiple editions of the Summer Olympics, securing two bronze medals during his career. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he finished 12th with a throw of 252 ft ^{(76.76 m)}.

His performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London was particularly notable. In the qualifying round, he set a new personal best of 290 ft ^{(88.34 m)}, which was also a world-leading mark for the season. In the final, his last throw of 273 ft ^{(83.34 m)} initially placed him 4th. However, in 2017, the International Olympic Committee retroactively awarded him the bronze medal. This re-allocation occurred after Ukrainian athlete Oleksandr Pyatnytsya, who had originally won silver, was disqualified due to a doping violation found during re-testing of samples from the games. Veselý reportedly expressed that the medal would likely go to his grandmother. This event highlighted the ongoing efforts to uphold sports integrity and correct historical records.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Veselý finished 7th with a throw of 271 ft ^{(82.51 m)}. He earned his second Olympic bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (held in 2021) with a throw of 280 ft ^{(85.44 m)}.

3. Competition Record

Vítězslav Veselý's results and standings in major international and continental competitions are detailed below:

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Mark
2002	World Junior Championships	Kingston, Jamaica	9th	226 ft ^{(68.76 m)}
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	12th	252 ft ^{(76.76 m)}
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	28th (q)	249 ft ^{(75.76 m)}
2010	European Championships	Barcelona, Spain	9th	255 ft ^{(77.83 m)}
2011	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	4th	276 ft ^{(84.11 m)}
2012	European Championships	Helsinki, Finland	1st	275 ft ^{(83.72 m)}
2012	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	3rd	273 ft ^{(83.34 m)}
2013	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	1st	286 ft ^{(87.17 m)}
2014	European Championships	Zürich, Switzerland	2nd	278 ft ^{(84.79 m)}
2015	World Championships	Beijing, China	8th	273 ft ^{(83.13 m)}
2016	European Championships	Amsterdam, Netherlands	2nd	274 ft ^{(83.59 m)}
2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	7th	271 ft ^{(82.51 m)}
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	26th (q)	248 ft ^{(75.5 m)}
2019	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	Did not start	N/A
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	3rd	280 ft ^{(85.44 m)}
2022	European Championships	Munich, Germany	4th	277 ft ^{(84.36 m)}

4. Seasonal Bests

The following table lists Vítězslav Veselý's personal best javelin throw distances achieved annually throughout his competitive career:

2002 - 240 ft ^{(73.22 m)}
2006 - 249 ft ^{(75.98 m)}
2007 - 261 ft ^{(79.45 m)}
2008 - 266 ft ^{(81.2 m)}
2009 - 264 ft ^{(80.35 m)}
2010 - 284 ft ^{(86.45 m)}
2011 - 276 ft ^{(84.11 m)}
2012 - 290 ft ^{(88.34 m)} (Personal best and season world best)
2013 - 287 ft ^{(87.58 m)}
2014 - 287 ft ^{(87.38 m)}
2015 - 289 ft ^{(88.18 m)}
2016 - 278 ft ^{(84.82 m)}
2017 - 270 ft ^{(82.29 m)}
2018 - 270 ft ^{(82.3 m)}
2019 - 272 ft ^{(82.85 m)}
2020 - 272 ft ^{(83.03 m)}
2021 - 280 ft ^{(85.44 m)}
2022 - 282 ft ^{(85.97 m)}

5. Legacy and Assessment

Vítězslav Veselý holds a significant place in the history of Czech javelin throwing, having successfully followed in the footsteps of his mentor, the legendary Jan Železný. His career is defined by remarkable consistency and the ability to perform under pressure at the highest levels of the sport. His collection of two Olympic bronze medals, a World Championship gold, and multiple European and Diamond League titles solidifies his status as one of the most decorated javelin throwers of his generation.

The retroactive awarding of his 2012 Olympic bronze medal, resulting from a doping disqualification of a competitor, underscores a critical aspect of sports integrity. This event highlights the ongoing efforts by anti-doping authorities to ensure fair play and revise historical records when violations are uncovered. For Veselý, it reaffirmed his rightful place on the Olympic podium and served as a testament to the pursuit of clean sport. His achievements, combined with his dedication to the sport, contribute to a legacy of excellence and perseverance in international athletics.