Sports News

The Czech Republic have taken their best ever tally - three medals - at the European Triathlon Championships in Karlovy Vary. Leading Czech athlete Roman Sebrle has taken part in an unusual event - a complete decathlon not over the regular two days but in just 100 minutes! The Czech Republic's men's volleyball team have something to celebrate after reaching the sport's World League finals in Madrid next month. And in tennis news, Jiri Novak's coach says the Czech no. 1 may retire next year and Martina Narvratilova has made a call for smaller tennis rackets.

Sports News

Impressive medal tally for Czechs at European Triathlon Championships

Filip Ospaly (in the middle), photo: CTK

The Czech Republic have taken their best ever tally - three medals - at the European Triathlon Championships, which were held in the west Bohemian spa town of Karlovy Vary at the weekend. Filip Ospaly - who won the event at the same venue two years ago - took silver, followed by fellow Czech Martin Krnavek, whose bronze was his first medal in five years. The winner of the event, which involves a 1.5 kilometre swim, a 40-kilometre cycle and a 10-kilometre run (Olympic standards), was Ivan Rana of Spain. The Czech Republic's set of medals was completed with gold in the women's team event.

Sebrle takes part in first 100-minute decathlon

Leading Czech athlete Roman Sebrle took part in an unusual event in Schwechat, Austria on Sunday - a complete decathlon not over the regular two days but in just 100 minutes! In his first ever 100-minute decathlon, Sebrle took 7,989 points. The European Champion and Czech athlete of the year described the event as great fun at the beginning but said he was in pain by the time he'd completed the pole vault and the 1500 metres. Sebrle holds the world record in the "normal" decathlon, at 9,026 points.

Volleyball players top group to reach World League Finals

The Czech Republic's men's volleyball team have something to celebrate at the moment, after reaching the sport's World League finals in Madrid next month. The Czechs made sure of first place in Group D of the World League with a 3:1 win over Greece in Ostrava on Saturday. A jubilant coach Pavel Rerabek said qualifying in itself was a great success, and his players would have nothing to lose at the finals.

Czech handball team reach European Championships

And the Czech Republic's handball team have qualified for the European Championships in their sport. A win over Bosnia-Herzegovina secured a place at the championships, which take place in Slovenia at the beginning of next year.

Smaller heads would mean more attractive tennis, says Navratilova

As the Wimbledon tennis tournament gets underway with five of the ten Czechs taking part on the courts on day one, the Czech-born tennis legend Martina Navratilova has called for tennis rackets to have smaller heads. She and other advocates say the move would end the modern dominance of baseline play and force more varied shots, making make the sport more attractive to spectators. Ms Navratilova told Britain's Guardian newspaper the future of tennis was at stake.

Novak to retire at the end of next year, says coach

Jan Kukal, who coaches Czech men's number one Jiri Novak, has told a Czech newspaper he believes Novak will retire at the end of next year, at the age of 29.