Sports News

Great win for Neumannova in Sweden while men's relay team finish third

Katerina Neumannova (center), photo: CTK After a good weekend for Czech skiing, most of the headlines have gone to Katerina Neumannova, who won the 17th cross country World Cup race of her career in Sweden's Gallivare on Saturday. And the Olympic champion won the 10 km freestyle most convincingly, finishing a full 25 seconds in front of her nearest rival. As Neumannova said on the line from Lapland, she felt comfortably ahead some way from the finish line.

"Two kilometers from the end I knew my lead was so big that it was practically impossible for me to lose it. And I knew in any case I had more energy in reserve. So I was quite relaxed heading for the finish line...though that isn't to say it didn't take a lot out of me - I'm tired now."

Martin Koukal Katerina Neummanova, who is now 33 and plans to retire at the end of this season.

Neumannova also took part in the women's relay in Gallivare, with the Czech women's team - also featuring Erbenova, Rajdlova and Janeckova - finishing fourth.

The country's men - Koukal, Bauer, Magal and Sperl - did one better; they reached the podium with third place. The first of the four Czechs in action was Martin Koukal.

"Luckily I managed to stay just 10 seconds off the pace, which was no problem for Lukas Bauer, who's in such great form at the moment. I didn't see much of Jirka Magal, who was third. Milan Sperl was last and he put in a great performance against the Russian Olympic champion Dementjev...so no problem - we came third."

And Lukas Bauer also did well in the men's 15 km freestyle, finishing fourth.

Sparta lead Czech football league as winter break begins

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Pribram players show support for remanded club boss Starka

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Out of sorts Baros faces ultimatum at Villa

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Jagr scores goal number 600 in NHL

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