Slovak Athletes Compete at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń

The 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships are underway in Toruń, Poland, with several Slovak athletes vying for medals. Competition began on March 20th and will continue through March 22nd at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena.

Zapletalová Reaches Semifinals in Women’s 400m

Slovak athlete Emma Zapletalová advanced to the semifinals in the women’s 400 meters, finishing with a time of 51.70 seconds in the heats on March 20th. She secured her spot by finishing second in her heat, behind Finland’s Mette Baas, who set a new national record of 51.42 seconds. World Athletics

Ledecká Reflects on Her Performance

Daniela Ledecká, also competing in the women’s 400m, did not advance to the semifinals, finishing with a time of 53.13 seconds. She expressed disappointment with her performance, citing a collision with another runner and a lack of energy at the end of the race. “I will start positively. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the start at the indoor WC. I was looking forward to it, I wanted to give it my all. Unfortunately, the run didn’t operate out for me, I probably burned it out. I also had a collision with my neighbor Políka while converging, which limited me a bit. I simply ran out of strength. I am absolutely not satisfied with the time, it is a second behind the ‘person’, I wanted to have a time on the edge of a personal record or better, but it didn’t work out a bit. I am looking forward to Sunday and I hope that I will perform better in the relay,” Ledecká stated to the Slovak Athletic Association.

Other Slovak Competitors

Gabriela Gajanová is scheduled to compete in the heats of the women’s 800m on March 20th, starting at 12:51 p.m. Local time. The Slovak team, a record 10-member squad with nine women, is participating exclusively in running disciplines at this year’s championships. World Athletics

Championship Details

The women’s 400m semifinal is scheduled for Friday, March 20th at 7:42 p.m. (UTC+1). The championships will conclude on Sunday, March 22nd. World Athletics

Current Records

As of March 20, 2026, the world record in the women’s 400 meters is held by Femke Bol of the Netherlands with a time of 49.17 seconds, set in Glasgow, United Kingdom on March 2, 2024. The 2026 World Lead is held by Ella Onojuvwevwo of Nigeria with a time of 50.28 seconds, achieved in Fayetteville, United States on March 13, 2026. World Athletics