Josef MATOUSEK

Josef Matoušek began his track and field athletics career with Tatranu Solnice, but soon joined Spartak Hradec Králové, with whom he had his most success. Specializing in the hammer throw, his first major international tournament was the 1962 European Championships, where he finished seventh in the final of that event. Two years later, he attended the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and placed ninth in a field of 24 competitors. In the intervening year, he set a personal best of 68.78 metres and became the first Czech hammer thrower to record a distance of over 65 metres, also reaching a world ranking of fifth. After passing his 35th birthday later in the year, he set a masters record of 66.82 metres in that age category, one that was not broken for over four years. He continued competing for many years, setting an M45 record of 60.32 metres in 1974, and the M55 record at 58.78 metres in 1985.

Personal Best: HT – 68.78 (1963).