Sports News

In Sports News this Monday: Soccer season resumes with huge win for leaders Plzeň; goalie Blažek becomes oldest player ever in top flight; Maslák sets world’s fastest time in 400m this year, while Hejnová is undecided on distance for European Indoors after good showing in 400m; and Plíšková climbs to career-best 13th in world rankings.

Leaders Plzeň win 6:0 on return after winter break

Viktoria Plzeň - České Budějovice, photo: CTK

Czech soccer’s first division resumed after a three-month winter break on Saturday. And top of the table Viktoria Plzeň got off to a wonderful restart, trouncing České Budějovice 6:0 in front of over 10,000 fans at their own Štruncovy sady stadium. The biggest cheer of the game went to player-assistant manager Pavel Horvath when he came on with 20 minutes remaining for only his fourth appearance of the season. Horvath, who turns 40 in April, has been key to Plzeň’s success in recent seasons. The midfielder, renowned for his sense of humour, told journalists he was moved by the warm reception.

“I almost had a tear in my eye. I’d only been warming up for a short period and luckily there wasn’t enough time for me to tear up completely… Naturally I’m always happiest when I’m on the pitch and I wouldn’t at all mind coming on at 5:0 up in every round.”

Jablonec, Slavia Prague and Dukla Prague also won at the weekend. Meanwhile, Sparta Prague can close the gap on Viktoria Plzeň to one point if they beat Příbram on Monday evening, after the recording of our show.

Blažek becomes oldest player to appear in Czech top flight

Jaromír Blažek, photo: David Sedlecký, CC BY-SA 3.0

Former Sparta goalkeeper Jaromír Blažek has just become the oldest player ever to appear in the Czech top flight. At the age of 42 years and 54 days, he kept a clean sheet for Jihlava in a 0:0 draw against Bohemians 1905. Blažek beat a record set by legendary striker Josef “Pepi” Bican way back in the 1950s.

Maslák sets fastest time of year in 400m

Pavel Maslák is in fine form ahead of next month’s European Indoor Athletics Championships in Prague. The defending champion achieved the fastest time in the 400m in the world this year with 45.27 seconds at a national meeting in the Czech capital on Sunday.

Hejnová may enter 400m at European Indoors after good result in Prague

Zuzana Hejnová, photo: CTK

Also in action at the meet was Zuzana Hejnová, who came first in the women’s 400m in a time of 52:76 seconds. Hejnová, holder of the Olympic title in the 400m hurdles, had been planning to take part in the 800m at Prague’s O2 Arena. However, she now says she will wait until the eve of the European Indoor Championships to choose a distance.

“I thought if I came in around 53:20 it’d be a good basis for 800m. But today’s time really surprised me and I don’t think I’d be out of place at the 400m. But I’ll leave my decision till the last moment and decide according to how many competitors there will be.”

Plíšková reaches career-best 13th in world rankings

Karolína Plíšková, photo: CTK

Czech player Karolína Plíšková has climbed to a career-best 13th in tennis’s world rankings after reaching the final of the Dubai Championships last week. The 22-year-old has leapfrogged Lucie Šafářová, ranked 15th, to become Czech number two. The country’s number one, Petra Kvitová, has slipped one spot to fourth in the world.