Linda Botková
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 February 2010 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Hurdles |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal bests | 400mH: 55.19 (Rieti, 2026) EU20R |
Medal record | |
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Linda Botková (born 6 February 2010) is a Czech hurdler. In 2026, she set a European U18 best in the 300 metres hurdles and 400 metres hurdles, and won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2026 European Athletics U18 Championships.[1]
Biography
Botková trains in the Olymp Prague club in Prague with coaches Michal Krčmář and Petr Habásek. She set multiple Czech age-group records in a number of disciplines including 60 metres hurdles and 100 metres hurdles and heptathlon.[2][3][4]
In 2026, Botková set a European U18 best in the 300m hurdles with a time of 39.35 seconds.[5] She also went into the 2026 European Athletics U18 Championships as the European under-18 leader for the 400 metres hurdles with a time of 57.03 seconds.[6] She ran 56.79 for the 400 metres hurdles in the opening round of the European U18 Championships to set a new Czech U18 record and championship record on 17 July, taking 1.21 seconds from the previous record set by compatriot Nina Radová in 2024.[7] In the semi-final the following day, she again eased before the line but broke the championship record for the second time in as many days with a new best of 56.78 seconds.[8] In the final, her winning time of 55.19 seconds moved to second on the world U18 all-time list behind only Sydney McLaughlin, and broke the four-decade old European U18 record held by Bulgaria's Radostina Shtereva since 1983, as well as the European U20 record held by Ionela Tirlea since 1995.[9][10][11] Later at the championship she was part of the Czech 1000 metres medley relay with Klára Kaderová, Aneta Onderková, and Anna Cerovská, as they won the gold medal in a championship record and Czech U18 record time of 2:05.65.[12]
On 5 August, she ran the anchor leg as Czechia won the silver medal in the mixed 4 x 400 metres at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships, moving the team from sixth place to second on her leg.[13][14][15] At the championships, her coach decided she should only run the 100 meters hurdles rather than the usual 400 metres hurdles so as to not risk over-training.[16]
References
- ↑ "Linda Botková". World Athletics. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Žáci zářili na mistráku v Mladé Boleslavi". Atletika.cz (in Czech). 21 September 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "Švábíková 5. ve Francii, Botková 2x rekordní". Atletika.cz (in Czech). 23 February 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "Vícebojařská mistrovská sobota přinesla dva národní rekordy". Atletika.cz (in Czech). 14 June 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "Botková a Mareš zaběhli v Edenu mládežnická maxima". Atletika.cz (in Czech). 6 May 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Broadbent, Chris (10 July 2026). "Rieti 2026 preview - Women's sprints and relays". European Athletics. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Broadbent, Chris (17 July 2026). "Botková smashes championship record in 400m hurdles heats in Rieti". European Athletics. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Mills, Steven (18 July 2026). "Botková improves her 400m hurdles championship record to 56.78 in Rieti". European Athletics. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "Botková breaks continental U20 record to highlight European U18 Championships in Rieti". World Athletics. 19 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "European U18 Championships". World Athletics. 19 July 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ Mills, Steven (19 July 2026). "European U20 record at 16! Botková storms to European U18 400m hurdles gold in 55.19". European Athletics. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ Broadbent, Chris (19 July 2026). "Czechia sweeps medley relays with record-breaking runs at Rieti 2026". European Athletics. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "US team runs fastest ever U20 mixed 4x400m with 3:15.31 in Oregon". World Athletics. 6 August 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "World Athletics U20 Championships". World Athletics. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "THEA BROWN ENJOYS FINE START AT WORLD U20 CHAMPS". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
- ↑ "Meet Linda Botkova, the 16-year-old European record-breaker chasing World Athletics U20 Championships glory". Olympics.com. 7 August 2026. Retrieved 7 August 2026.