Vlastimil Hoferek at the Czechoslovak Universiade 1973
Hoferek started his athletics career under the coach Gibala in Trenčín; in 1959 he continued in Ostrava-Poruba under the coach Frantisek Klusal and in 1964 he moved to Vítkovice athletics club in Ostrava where he trained under the coach Rudolf Chovanec. During his military service in 1966–1967 he trained in Banská Bystrica and thereafter he returned to Vitkovice club in Ostrava and run for the club until 1974. In 1972 he started to train with the coach Ota Svršek and under Svršek's leadership achieved his best results.
In 1973 Hoferek became the Czechoslovak Indoor Champion setting a national record of 7.7 s in the 60 m hurdles[1] which qualified him for the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Rotterdam. In the same year he also won a gold at the Czechoslovak Universiade running 14.2 s in the 110 m hurdles. In 1974 he collided with a press photographer during the final at the Czechoslovak Athletics Indoor Championship and missed his opportunity to defend his indoor champion title.[2] At the European Indoor Championship in Gothenburg he also missed qualifying for the final by one hundredth of a second and came ninth. At the European Athletics Championships in Rome in 1974 he came tenth running the 110 m hurdlers in 13.89 s setting his personal best. In the same year he was sharing 26th-34th position in the world athletics table.[3]
In 1975 he was selected to prepare for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.[4] Following the relegation of Vitkovice club he transferred to Trinec athletics club in the same year but due to protracted injury he ended his career in 1976.
Post-retirement career
Since ending his active career in 1976 he continued to dedicate his free time to athletics and sport. During the years 1976–1991, he coached young athletes from Juvinelles and Juniors to Youth and the Under 21. Since 1982 till 2017 he was the chair of the regional athletics association of the Moravian-Silesian Region. During 1990-1992 he was the chair of the methodical committee and a member of VV ČAS (executive committee of Czechoslovak Athletics Association). He has been working as a track and field athletics official at both juvenile and international athletics events. Currently he is a member of supervisory committee for the Centre of Individual Sports in Ostrava.
Achievements
Year
Competition
Venue
Position
Notes
International competitions - representing Czechoslovakia
