Sport | Topic Archive

The historic success of Martina Sábliková at the Winter Olympics has revived a debate on whether a dedicated speed skating arena should be built in the Czech Republic. The mayor of the town where Sábliková lives says a backer may soon be found for such a hall, which the state would have to maintain. But some say that would waste public money on an extremely marginal sport.

In Sports News this Monday: the 2010 Winter Olympics are the most successful ever for the Czech Republic with two gold and four bronze medals; Šárka Záhrobská is the last Czech to reach the podium following a third-place finish in the women’s slalom; after two bronze medals (including one in the men’s cross-country relay) skier Lukáš Bauer finishes way off the pace in the 50 kilometre classic; and Jablonec extend their lead as the Czech football season resumes.

There were a few bright moments at Vancouver 2010 when the Czech hockey team was firing on all cylinders but ultimately the Czechs’ run at the Olympics was short-lived, notably the fourth time in a row in a major tournament that they have exited in the quarterfinals. Now some are suggesting that the Czech team is on the verge of crisis, facing lean years in which medal wins will be few.

Wednesday was the most dramatic day yet for the Czech Republic at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Speed skater Martina Sáblíková made history when she became the first Czech to win two gold medals at one Winter Games, while there was also sensational news in cross country skiing with the men’s relay team taking bronze. However, there was also huge disappointment for Czech fans, when the country’s ice hockey team were knocked out in the quarter-finals.

The Czech hockey team survived a scare against Latvia in their first elimination match-up at the Olympics on Tuesday. After three periods the game went down the wire and overtime was needed to break the 2:2 tie. In the end, the Czechs advanced to the next round but the game could have easily gone either way.

In Sports News this Monday: speed skater Martina Sáblíková takes bronze in the 1,500 metres, bringing the Czech Republic’s medals tally in Vancouver to three; a clash between Alexander Ovechkin and Jaromír Jágr is the key moment as the Czech hockey team lose 4:2 to Russia; Lukáš Bauer comes seventh in the 30 kilometre pursuit; and after dominating ski cross for a decade, Tomáš Kraus fails to make the final the first time the sport is included in the Olympics.

One week after the start of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Czech team has won one gold and one bronze medal and are hoping more will follow before the games are over. But it seems that the Czechs have also impressed in one unofficial contest – fashion.

The Czech hockey team has gotten off to a winning start in its first game at the Winter Olympics, beating their former federal partners Slovakia 3:1 late Wednesday. The Czechs drew first blood in the match but the Slovaks soon tied. After that it was close almost all the way.

The smiling face of speed skater Martina Sáblíková has been all over the Czech media since she won gold at the Winter Olympics on Sunday. The Czech Republic has almost no tradition of speed skating, and no training course, and Sáblíková’s success represents the culmination of a sporting fairytale.

In Sports News this Monday: the Czechs take their first medal at the Winter Olympics, gold for speed skater Martina Sáblíková in the 3000 metres – she now sets her sights on a second gold in the 5000 metres next week; and freestyle skier Nikola Sudová comes 16th in the moguls after gamely taking part in Vancouver despite a recent injury.