Posted: January 11, 2005

Athletics: Ceplak On Target For European 800M Title Defense

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

by Bob Ramsak

Olympic 800 meter bronze medallist Jolanda Ceplak said plans to defend her European title at the distance in March are right on schedule.

"I think I will compete in Madrid to defend my title from Vienna," the popular Slovenian said while training in Bratislava, Slovakia. Ceplak spent a week in the Slovak capital because Slovenia doesn't have an indoor facility with a 200 meter track. "But the final decision will be made according to my results. I plan three starts before the championships, but currently everything is okay."

At the 2002 European Indoor Championships in Vienna, Ceplak shattered the world indoor record, clocking 1:55.82, bettering the previous WR of 1:56.40 set by East German Christine Wachtel in the same venue fourteen years earlier. Prior to her third place finish in Athens, the 28-year-old from the northeast Slovenian town of Celje earned a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships last March. She is also the current reigning continental outdoor champion. In November, she was named Slovenia's Athlete-of-the-Year for the third consecutive time.

Speaking with local reporters, Ceplak indicated her sights are not currently set on adding Jarmila Kratochvilova's outdoor record of 1:53.28, set more than 21 years ago, to her list of achievements.

"It is too tough," said Ceplak, who has dipped under 1:58 on 13 occasions and has a personal best of 1:55.19. "Not me or any other runner is near to it. But I think most important are medals and not records. Medals will stay with you forever, records could be broken and gone. Although maybe my indoor record will last not for the next 14 years as was the previous of Christine Wachtel, but the double – 28 years," she said with a smile.

Ceplak, who plans her 2005 debut at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on Jan. 29, is already looking to the next Olympics.

"When I will be older, maybe I will combine more with the 1500 meters." Her personal best in the event, 4:02.44, was set with her win at the 2003 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore. "But for the present I´m happy with 800 meters."