Lurdes Gloria Manuel named Czech Athlete of the Year

Czech sprinter Lurdes Gloria Manuel, the indoor world champion in the 400 metres, has been named the Czech Athletics Federation’s Athlete of the Year 2026. At 21, she is the youngest winner in the history of independent Czechia and the first woman to receive the award since 2019.

Manuel won world gold indoors and improved her personal best to 49.37 seconds during the outdoor season. She also regularly finished among the medal winners in the Diamond League and came fourth at the European Championships.

She won the vote of 145 athletics experts with 1,383 points, finishing ahead of hammer thrower Volodymyr Myslyvchuk and pole vaulter Amálie Švábíková.