Sports News

In Sports News this Monday: rower Synek crowned world champion in single skulls; Czech soccer in team in Prague ahead of World Cup qualifiers; Čech looks forward to more trophies with Mourinho; Czechs fail to impress at Czech Games; and Berdych enters week two at US Open without losing set.

Synek crowned world champion in South Korea

Angel Fournier Rodriguez, Ondřej Synek, Marcel Hacker, photo: CTK

Ondřej Synek topped the podium in the single skulls at the World Rowing Championships in Chungju, South Korea on Sunday. The Czech, who is 30, opened up a lead early on the final, gradually extending it to finish three and a half seconds ahead of his closest rival. Speaking after the race, a smiling Synek said he had realised early on that the gold medal was within reach.

“After 500 metres I knew that I would win, unless I made some technical mistake, because I was going well and I knew they couldn’t beat me…The race looked simple, but it was actually complicated, because the climactic conditions here are terrible. It’s very humid and you sweat non-stop. It’s not so bad today, but it has been one of the more difficult championships.”

National team preparing for World Cup qualifiers

The Czech national soccer team have gathered in Prague ahead of two important World Cup qualifiers against Armenia at the city’s Eden Stadium on Saturday and away to group leaders Italy next Tuesday. The Czechs are currently in third place in Group B, behind Bulgaria who have one point more.

Goal is even greater success with Mourinho, says Čech in Prague

Petr Čech, photo: CTK

The eyes of the world were on Prague’s Eden Stadium on Friday, when it hosted the UEFA Super Cup between Bayern Munich and Chelsea. Despite a stunning performance, the latter’s Czech goalkeeper Petr Čech found himself on the losing side after a penalty shootout. Čech has been reunited with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea; he told reporters after the game that he welcomed the return of the manager, with whom he won several trophies first time round.

“I’m glad that we have another chance to be as successful as we were before. And hopefully we can go even further. I think that the aim, the motivation and the goal for all of us is to keep winning. If we can do that again, and do even better, it would be a perfect scenario.”

Coach upbeat despite low goals tally at Czech Games

Alois Hadamczik, photo: CTK

The Czech Republic didn’t have the best time of it at ice hockey’s Czech Games, part of the four-nation Euro Hockey Tour which ended on Sunday. The hosts were beaten 3:1 by Finland and 2:0 by Sweden, before saving some face with a 2:1 win over Russia in their final game in Pardubice. Despite the Czechs’ poor goals tally, coach Alois Hadamczik said he was pleased with their overall performance. Hadamczik will next week announce his “broad” squad for February’s Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Berdych enters week two at US Open without dropping set

Tomáš Berdych, photo: CTK

Tomáš Berdych is the only Czech singles player left in tennis’s US Open as the competition goes into its second week. Berdych has yet to lose a set at Flushing Meadows this year and on Sunday defeated France’s Julien Benneteau 6-0 6-3 6-2. He will now face Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland for a place in the quarter-finals.