Matej Tóth (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈmacej ˈtɔːt]; born 10 February 1983) is a Slovak race walker. He is a former Olympic champion in the 50 km walk.

Matej Tóth
Personal information
Born (1983-02-10) 10 February 1983 (age 41)
Nitra, Czechoslovakia
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight73 kg (161 lb)
Sport
Country Slovakia
SportAthletics
Event50 km Race Walk
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2016 Rio de Janeiro50 km walk
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2015 Beijing50 km walk
European Championships
Silver medal – second place2014 Zürich50 km walk
Silver medal – second place2018 Berlin50 km walk
World Race Walking Cup
Gold medal – first place2010 Chihuahua50 km walk

Career edit

Toth won the gold medal in the 50 km walk at the 2010 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, and at the 2015 World Championships, taking Slovakia's first ever gold at the championships.[1]

He finished first at the 2016 Olympic Games in 50 km walk, winning the first Slovak Olympic medal in athletics and also being the first Slovak gold medalist in a Summer sport other than canoe slalom.

He was the 2016 Slovak Athlete of the Year.[2]

In 2018, he won silver medal in the men's 50 kilometres walk at the 2018 European Athletics Championships held in Berlin, Germany.[3] In 2019, he competed in the men's 50 kilometres walk at the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar.[4] He did not finish his race.[4]

Toth represented Slovakia at the 2020 Summer Olympics and finished 14th in the men's 50 kilometres walk with a season best.[5]

He is a journalist by education.

Achievements edit

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Slovakia
1999World Youth ChampionshipsBydgoszcz, Poland8th10,000 m46:49.33
2001European Race Walking Cup (U20)Dudince, Slovakia39th10 km47:18
2002World Junior ChampionshipsKingston, Jamaica16th10,000 m45:05.02
2003European Race Walking CupCheboksary, Russia24th20 km1:25:28
European U23 ChampionshipsBydgoszcz, Poland6th20 km1:25:59
UniversiadeDaegu, South Korea10th20 km1:27:51
2004World Race Walking CupNaumburg, Germany54th20 km1:26:59
Olympic GamesAthens, Greece32nd20 km1:28:49
2005European Race Walking CupMiskolc, Hungary12th20 km1:23:58
Universiadeİzmir, Turkey8th20 km1:28:58
World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland21st20 km1:23:55
2006World Race Walking CupA Coruña, Spain46th20 km1:26:30
European ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden6th20 km1:21:39
2007European Race Walking CupRoyal Leamington Spa, United Kingdom27th20 km1:25:12
World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan14th20 km1:25:57
2008Olympic GamesBeijing, PR China26th20 km1:23:17
World Race Walking CupCheboksary, Russia17th20 km1:21:24
2009European Race Walking CupMetz, France9th20 km1:27:29
World ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany9th20 km1:21:13
10th50 km3:48:35
2010World Race Walking CupChihuahua, Mexico1st50 km3:53:30
European ChampionshipsBarcelona, Spain6th20 km1:22:20
2011European Race Walking CupOlhão, Portugal1st20 km1:23:53
World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea13th20 km1:22:55
50 kmDNF
2012Olympic GamesLondon, Great Britain5th50 km3:41:24
2013European Race Walking CupDudince, Slovakia3rd20 km1:21:51
World ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia5th50 km3:41:07
2014World Race Walking CupTaicang, China28th20 km1:21:33
European ChampionshipsZürich, Switzerland2nd50 km3:36:21
2015European Race Walking CupMurcia, Spain2nd20 km1:20:21
6th20 km - Team68 pts
2015World ChampionshipsBeijing, China1st50 km3:40:32
2016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil1st50 km3:40:58
2018European ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany2nd50 km3:47:27
2021Olympic GamesSapporo, Japan14th50 km3:56:23

References edit

  1. ^ "Gold flush as Matej Toth wins first Slovak world title". Zee News. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  2. ^ Juck, Alfons (26 November 2006). "Toth selected Slovak athlete of the year". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Final results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Men's 50 kilometres walk – Final" (PDF). 2019 World Athletics Championships. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Athletics - Final Results". Olympics. Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.

External links edit

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Sportsperson of Slovakia
2016
Succeeded by