Jana Zapadlová (born September 19, 1973) is a retired Czech track-and-field athlete, best known for competing in the long jump and triple jump. A member of the LIAZ Jablonec club, she ranked among the Czech Republic’s top jumpers in the 1990s. Over her career she achieved personal bests of 6.45 meters in the long jump (in June 1999, Prague) and 12.52 meters in the triple jump (July 1998). These performances made her one of the leading Czech women’s jumpers of her era.
Early Career and Youth Achievements
Zapadlová showed her talent early on in multi-event athletics and jumps. Highlights from her junior years include:
- 1990 – Czech U18 Heptathlon Champion: She won the national youth heptathlon with 4,706 points.
- 1991 – Czech Junior Long Jump Champion: In June 1991 she won the under-20 national long jump title with a leap of 5.74 m.
- 1991 – Czech Junior Heptathlon Champion: The same year she also claimed the Czech junior (women’s) heptathlon title, scoring 4,793 points.
These achievements show her versatility: she combined speed, strength and technique across sprints, jumps, and throws during her youth.
National Competitions and Achievements
As a senior athlete, Zapadlová consistently placed among the top competitors at Czech national championships. For example, at the 1991 Czech outdoor championships she finished 5th in the women’s long jump with a mark of 5.75 m. (That year the winning jump was 6.12 m.) Over the next few seasons she remained in national finals, often ranking in the top 8. Her bronze-medal jump at the 1992 Czechoslovak indoor championships (around 6.28 m) further confirmed her status among the country’s best jumpers. In team competitions she represented LIAZ Jablonec in league and club meets.
Personal Bests and Records
Zapadlová’s personal records stand as a testament to her skill and consistency:
- Long Jump (outdoor PB): 6.45 m, achieved 5 June 1999 in Prague. (Wind +1.9 m/s.)
- Triple Jump (outdoor PB): 12.52 m, achieved 12 July 1998.
- All-Time Czech Ranking: Her 6.45 m jump ranks 17th on the Czech all-time women’s long jump list (as of 2019).
These marks put her among the top Czech jumpers ever. (For context, only a few Czech women have ever jumped beyond 6.50 m.)
Together, long jump and triple jump (which share the same runway) formed the core of Zapadlová’s competitive events. Her top marks remain noted in Czech athletics archives.
Legacy and Context
Jana Zapadlová’s career illustrates the dedication needed to excel in track and field. By transitioning from a successful youth multi-event athlete to a specialized jumper, she carved out a niche and inspired others at her club and in Czech athletics. Her achievements are documented in official record books and federation archives. Today, fans of Czech track and field can learn more by visiting the Czech Athletics Federation’s statistics (Atletika.cz) or related sports history sites. Zapadlová’s story is a reminder of how national-level athletes contribute to their sport’s history.
Conclusion: Jana Zapadlová may not be a household name internationally, but she left a lasting mark on Czech athletics. For readers interested in Czech track history, official athletics yearbooks and websites list her performances and honors (for example, the indoor and outdoor championships results or the all-time lists). Her journey from a youth champion to a senior competitor embodies the spirit of dedication in sports.