Olomouc review: USA's 14-year-old Gossard grabs triple gold at Women's GP debut

The final Grand Prix of the season in Olomouc was unique in its own way - it was the first-ever women-only event, and it certainly delivered in the same manner.

Triple gold by a 14-year-old, a world record show and several Paralympic stars displaying their ominous form ahead of September’s World Championships in New Delhi - all was witnessed over the two-day action at the TJ Lokomotiva Olomouc stadium.

Overall, the objective to provide more elite sporting opportunities for female athletes was achieved as 170 female athletes from 46 nations competed in the historic women-only event only to leave everyone spellbound and awaiting the next edition.

Triple gold

There were plenty of international stars who shone in Olomouc, but it was 14-year-old Brookly Gossard from USA who stole the limelight in the final GP of the season. Gossard made a dream debut clinching gold medals in the women’s 100m, 400m and 1500m T54 and a silver in the women’s 800m T54. 

Her Olomouc campaign became even more memorable as she attained her personal best in the 100m (19.02s), 1500m (4:21.06) and 800m (2:22.57) races. 

Another highlight of the event was the world record show from Kazakhstan’s Irina Tychshenko who threw a distance of 8.79m in the women’s shot put F45.  

Tychshenko finished in fifth place in the combined women’s shot put F45-F46 event which was won by Uzbekistan’s Karomat Omonova (12.13m). This was Omonova’s second gold after her effort at the Tunis 2025 GP.  

Remember the name, Brooklyn Gossard, the 14-year-old rising star from the US! 🇺🇸

She won the 100m and 400m wheelchair races multiclass today at #Olomouc2025, what a day for her! 🌟@USParaTF 🫡 pic.twitter.com/w4Ql2pzROt

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) July 3, 2025

International names

One the biggest stars on the field, Tunisian multiple-time Paralympic champions Raoua Tlili and Maroua Ibrahmi put up a dominant show winning two gold medals each in their respective events. 

Tlili triumphed in the women’s discus throw F41 (34.59 m) and shot put F41 (10.38), the events in which she picked up Paralympic gold medals in Paris. Her fellow team mate Ibrahmi yet again showed that she is the name to beat in the women's club throw F32.

The Paris 2024 champion, Ibrahmi threw the club to a distance of 26.09m adding another GP win to her collection following her world record show of 29.36m in Marrakech in April. The Tunisian also won the women's shot put F32 in Czechia.

Another star in action, Italy’s Tokyo 2020 champion Ambra Sabatini too shone in the final Grand Prix of the year with two gold medals. She first raced to the women’s 100m T63 gold – the 100m sprint was affected by a minor injury, but her time was still enough for a gold medal. 

She secured her second victory in the women’s long jump T63, setting a personal record with a leap of 4.67m.

Among other top names, South Africa’s Simone Kruger reaffirmed her status on top in the women’s discus throw F38 (36.85) and women’s shot put F38 (12.14m) events. Kruger is a Paris 2024 gold medallist in discus throw – also a world record holder in the event (38.82m). 

Algeria’s Nassima Saifi too lived up to her billing winning the women’s discus throw F57 event (35.07m), in which she has been three-time Paralympic gold medallist.  She also topped the medals in the women’s shot put F57 winning it with a throw of 10.59m.

There were a few veterans who showed that they haven’t lost their edge yet - Germany’s Paralympic legend Martina Willing secured the gold in women’s javelin throw F56 category with a throw of 18.52m. Willing is a three-time Paralympic champion and 12-time Paralympic medallist. 

USA’s three-time Paralympic medallist Cassie Mitchell also made her presence with two silver medals in women’s club throw and discus throw F51 finals.

💥 World record alert at #Olomouc2025!
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan’s Irina Tychshenko throws 8.79m in the F45 shot put!

Congrats Irina! 👏#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/02x3wkwS2I

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) July 4, 2025

Local presence on podium

The local presence was also evident on the podium with some of the top names from Czechia making sure of a treat to the local fans.

As expected, the women’s shot put F35 event was an intriguing contest with Paris 2024 bronze medallist Anna Nicholson of Great Britain (9.24m) yet again finishing ahead of local star Anna Luxova (9.16m). The Brit had finished with the bronze at Paris 2024 while Luxova had to settle for the fourth place.

Luxona went on add another silver to her tally competing in women’s 100m T35 sprint.

“I had nothing to lose, and honestly, Olomouc couldn’t have gone much better,” said the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic bronze medallist looking ahead to the World Championships in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, Eva Berna, a veteran four-time Paralympic medallist in the women’s shot put F37 (from Athens 2004 to Rio 2016), finished second to Kruger in the women's shot Put F37.

The women’s 100m T47 race was among the highlights for the home team as two of their local stars Tereza Jakschova, two-time World Championship medallists, and promising Ada Boudnikova were in showdown. Jakschova eventually prevailed in the Czech duel, securing silver with a timing of 13.22s. 

Sixteen-year-old Boudnikova finished behind Jakschova with a personal best timing of 13.51. “I'm happy with such a big personal best, but I’m also a bit upset that it wasn’t under 13.50. That bothers me. But at the same time, it’s motivation for next time." 

Boudnikova is set to compete at the European Youth Para Games in Istanbul at the end of July and is already looking much further ahead.

“My biggest dream is to run at the Paralympics in Los Angeles. That would be absolutely fantastic,” the promising athlete told the Local Organising Committee.

“She’s a big promise, maybe she’s the future me. If she stays disciplined and follows her path, she could achieve great things,” Jakschova praised about her junior teammate.

You can watch all the action from the Olomouc GP again on YouTube and the results can be found here.

What's next?

It has been an exciting 2025 season of Grand Prix with Dubai (UAE), New Delhi (India), Marrakech (Morocco), Jalisco (Mexico), Cali (Colombia), Nottwil (Switzerland), Paris (France), Tunis (Tunisia) and Olomouc (Czechia) all witnessing new champions and seasoned stars stamping their dominance yet again. 

After the successful women-only Grand Prix in Olomouc, the final one, the focus turns to the all-anticipated World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi starting 27 September to 5 October.