Quick Facts
Biography
Jakub Vadlejch ([ˈjakub ˈvadlɛjx]; born 10 October 1990) is a Czech track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. He is a two-time Olympian for the Czech Republic, having competed in 2012 and 2016. He also has represented his country thrice at the World Championships in Athletics (2011, 2015, 2017), winning the silver medal in 2017, and twice was a competitor at the European Athletics Championships (2010, 2014). He also won the 2016 IAAF Diamond League title.
Career
Born in Prague, Vadlejch took part in international javelin competitions from a young age, reaching the finals at the 2007 World Youth Championships in Athletics, 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics and the 2009 European Athletics Junior Championships. His senior debut followed at the 2010 European Athletics Championships, where he threw in qualifying only. He competed in the javelin throw at the 2012 Summer Olympics and placed 25th with a mark of 77.61 metres. He was eliminated in the qualifying round at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, 2014 European Athletics Championships, and 2015 World Championships in Athletics.
Vadlejch had his breakthrough season in 2016. He reached the final at the 2016 Summer Olympics, taking eighth place, and took victory on the 2016 IAAF Diamond League circuit, with three wins and a personal best of 88.02 m (288 ft 9 ⁄4 in) in the process. At the 2017 World Championships he set his new personal best, 89.73 m (294 ft 4 ⁄2 in), winning the silver medal.
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Czech Republic | ||||
| 2007 | World Youth Championships | Ostrava, Czech Republic | 12th | 65.63 m |
| 2008 | World Junior Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 10th | 68.79 m |
| 2009 | European Junior Championships | Novi Sad, Serbia | 8th | 69.63 m |
| 2010 | European Championships | Barcelona, Spain | 16th (q) | 76.04 m |
| 2011 | European U23 Championships | Ostrava, Czech Republic | – | NM |
| World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 16th (q) | 80.08 m | |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 25th (q) | 77.61 m |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 20th (q) | 75.14 m |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 20th (q) | 78.95 m |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 9th | 78.12 m |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 8th | 82.42 m |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | 89.73 m |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 8th | 80.64 m |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 5th | 82.19 m |
Circuit wins
- Diamond League
- Overall title: 2016
- London Grand Prix: 2016
- Meeting Areva: 2016
- Weltklasse Zürich: 2016
Seasonal bests
- 2008 – 76.57 m
- 2009 – 81.95 m
- 2010 – 84.47 m
- 2011 – 84.08 m
- 2012 – 80.40 m
- 2013 – 75.85 m
- 2014 – 82.97 m
- 2015 – 86.21 m
- 2016 – 88.02 m
- 2017 – 89.73 m
- 2018 – 89.02 m
