Maděrová wins snowboard gold, Jílek adds silver for Czechia

Czechia enjoyed a highly successful opening weekend of the Winter Olympics thanks to gold and silver medals in snowboarding and speed skating. Czech snowboarder Zuzana Maděrová won Olympic gold in the women’s parallel giant slalom in Livigno, claiming the first major title of her career. The 22-year-old rider from Liberec defeated Austria’s Sabine Payer in the final, after three-time Olympic champion Ester Ledecká was knocked out in the quarter-finals.

A little later, speed skater Metoděj Jílek claimed silver in the 5,000 metres on his Olympic debut in Milan. The 19-year-old, dominant on long distances this World Cup season, was beaten only by Norway’s world record holder Sander Eitrem. Jílek, who follows in the footsteps of seven-time Olympic medallist Martina Sáblíková, will also target medals in the 10,000 metres and the mass start.