End of 16-year medal drought: First two silver medals for Czechia at Paralympics
Czech para athletes Carina Edlingerová and Simona Bubeníčková secured silver medals for the Czech Republic at the Winter Paralympic Games in Tesero, marking the country’s first medals at the event since the Vancouver 2010 Games.
Two weeks after the end of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 14th Winter Paralympic Games began on March 6. This year also marks a historic moment for Czech Paralympic sport. The Czech team that travelled to the Games is the largest in its history so far, with a total of 24 para athletes.
Two athletes managed to win medals for the Czech Republic in the very first days of the competition. The joy of the achievement is even greater because it happened after a 16-year wait since Czech Paralympians last won a medal at the Games in Vancouver.
Twenty-seven-year-old Carina Edlingerová finished second in the biathlon sprint, winning silver behind China’s Wang Yue. The Austrian-born athlete has represented the Czech Republic since this season. At the previous two Paralympics she competed for Austria, winning one gold and two bronze medals in cross-country skiing.
“It’s truly a beautiful feeling. I knew I was well prepared, but I needed to confirm it at the shooting range, where I always struggle a bit. Fortunately, I managed to finish without any mistakes. I’m very happy and grateful that the team and my guide Alex Paťava provided me with excellent conditions, and that it ended with a medal. I’m incredibly happy that even as a ‘new Czech,’ so to speak, I was able to write another small piece of history.”
Another visually impaired Czech athlete, Simona Bubeníčková, placed fourth in the sprint race. However, she followed that performance with an impressive result in the 12.5 km individual race, where she captured silver — the second medal for the Czech team at the Games.
“It’s absolutely great. Of course, Paralympic champion sounds even better. But really, it’s amazing. In the last lap I was also going for the cake my sister promised me if I won a medal, and for the Slovenian pin that one of the service technicians promised me. So that’s about it. I’m incredibly happy and I really thank everyone.”
Seventeen-year-old Bubeníčková competed with guide David Šrůtek and finished behind only Wang Yue, who claimed her second gold medal of the Games.
Bubeníčková has thus confirmed her status as one of the Czech team’s biggest medal hopes. She only added biathlon to her program this season alongside cross-country skiing, a sport in which she became world champion last year. In both disciplines she has already collected medals in the World Cup.
The Czech para ice hockey team is also among the favorites for a medal. On Saturday, they defeated the Japanese team, and on their way to reaching the semifinals they still face matches against Slovakia on Monday and Canadians on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, support for the Czech team doesn’t end with the athletes competing in Italy. Fans can also experience the atmosphere of the Games directly in Prague, where two official fan zones will gradually open. The first launched at Westfield Chodov (March 6–10), and the program will then move to Metropole Zličín (March 11–15). Visitors will be able to watch live broadcasts from Italy on large screens, take part in discussions with athletes, and get autographs during scheduled signing sessions.
Related
-
World premiere women’s Para Athletics Grand Prix headed to Olomouc
On July 3rd and 4th, Olomouc will host the season’s last meeting of the Para Athletics Grand Prix – the para-sport equivalent of the Diamond League.
