On Saturday afternoon and early evening, 16th May, Karlovy Vary transformed from a spa town into a center for both elite and recreational runners. The 13th edition of the Mattoni Running Festival took place here, offering an attractive battle for the top spot in the day’s main race. A record number of nearly 9,000 runners participated in all the races and accompanying runs.
The sports day kicked off at 2 pm with the Varyáda 10K Run, which saw the participation of 1358 runners. The afternoon program continued with the dm family mile for runners of all ages and the dm bambini run for the youngest children. The highlight of the program, the Mattoni Half Marathon Karlovy Vary, took place at 6 pm and was enjoyed by 4471 endurance runners. After a very warm Prague International Marathon two weeks back, significantly more pleasant conditions prevailed this time, and pleasantly cool weather awaited the runners in West Bohemia, which moreover went without the originally announced showers.
Vích defends his title
The overall victory and the best start to this year’s edition of the EuroHeroes project was claimed in a new national race record by RunCzech Racing Team member Damián Vích, who thus defended last year’s victory with a time of 1:03:30 (last year´s winning time was 1:04:23). However, it was not born easily; for a large part of the race, the main favorite, Jan Lukas Becker from Germany, was in the lead. For a moment, it even seemed that he could attack the best European time of the race (1:02:59 Yassine Rachik (ITA) from 2019), but in the end, it was clear that he was running out of strength, and he ultimately lagged 28 seconds behind the Czech runner.
“I was behind in the first ten kilometers, but I still believed that I could catch up, and I am glad that it worked out, especially with such a fantastic time,” the RunCzech Racing Team representative shared after the finish. Third place was taken by the Spaniard Artur Bossy with 1:05:00. Overall 2025 EuroHeroes winner, Khalid Choukoud from the Netherlands, was another 6 seconds behind on the 4th place with 1:05:06. At the finish line, Damián Vích praised the atmosphere of the race, which always drives him forward, and thanks to it, he managed to secure first place.
Robles´ domination in the women´s field
Among the women, the development of the race was not as dramatic. Right at the beginning, a quartet of favorites consisting of Robles, Szabó, Wilson, and Čepová broke away. However, before the halfway mark of the course, Caroline Robles from Spain, for whom it was the first appearance in Czechia, picked up the pace and escaped her rivals. She increased her intermediate lead to more than 90 seconds and crossed the finish line with a final time of 1:10:45. “I am really happy that I could be here today, I enjoyed it very much,” the winner said after the race. “The atmosphere on the course was fantastic, and hearing the fans cheering and chanting Caroline! Caroline! Absolutely incredible!” Finishing second was last year’s winner, Nóra Szabó from Hungary, while the bronze position was taken by Natasha Wilson from Great Britain. The unpopular 4th place thus went to the best Czech competitor, Michaela Čepová, who missed out on the third spot by more than half a minute. “Up to the eighth kilometer I felt great, but then out of nowhere, I ran out of strength, partly due to a stronger wind and constantly trading places with my opponents. I am not completely satisfied with my performance,” the Czech runner lamented at the finish line. She praised the atmosphere of the race on the unique course in Karlovy Vary. Finishing second among Czech women was the current race record holder among Czech women, running legend and Michaela´s coach, Eva Vrabcová Nývltová.
The Mattoni Half Marathon Karlovy Vary also attracted many athletes from other disciplines and other well-known personalities to the course. Thus, a Paralympian and holder of several world records in swimming, visually impaired athlete David Kratochvíl, took to the course, managing his debut at this distance in 1:43:12.
Looking ahead
Next up: the scenic city of České Budějovice in South Bohemia, where the Mattoni Half Marathon České Budějovice will welcome Europe’s rising stars in just two weeks from now. The series will continue in the Moravian UNESCO city of Olomouc on 13 June and we will crown final winners in North Bohemian Ústí nad Labem on 19 September.
The race was streamed live, with English commentary by the famous Tim Hutchings, bringing the emotion and energy of Karlovy Vary to audiences around the world. Once again, the EuroHeroes series fulfills its mission: to celebrate and elevate European distance running talent.
Results men:
- 1. Damián Vích (CZE, RunCzech Racing Team): 1:03:30 – Czech race record
- 2. Jan Lukas Becker (GER): 1:03:58
- 3. Artur Bossy (ESP): 1:05:00
- 4. Khalid Choukoud (NED): 1:05:06
- 5. Carsten Kok (NED): 1:06:12
Results women:
- 1. Caroline Robles (ESP): 1:10:45
- 2. Nóra Szabó (HUN): 1:12:19
- 3. Natasha Wilson (GBR): 1:13:05
- 4. Michaela Čepová (CZE): 1:13:32
- 5. Cristina Silva (ESP): 1:17:10
