Czechs win 8 medals at the XVII Paralympics
With 1 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze medals, Czech athletes finished in 53rd place in the national rankings. But the joy the Paralympics brought was first rate.
In a grand celebration at Stade de France, the XVII Paralympic Games came to a close on Sunday, marking the end of nearly two weeks of exceptional sportsmanship and competition. David Kratochvíl, a 16-year-old blind swimmer, had the honor of carrying the Czech flag. This is how he described the 400 meters free-style race in which he won the gold medal:
"I was thinking at the beginning that I’d go fast for the first 100 meters, then slow down, and finally give it my all again, like I did in Manchester last year. But that didn’t work out because I ended up running the second hundred just as fast as the first one. Luckily, I managed to hold on for the second 200, and it all came together, so it was crazy."
"It’s an amazing feeling. I was seeded second, and I went into it thinking that finishing in the top five would be great for my first race. Of course, there were some nerves. The atmosphere was intense; I had to push through that, but once the start came, I was completely calm, like totally. I was just enjoying the applause from the crowd, and it was an amazing, magical feeling."
Altogether, Czech athletes won eight medals at the Paralympics – apart from the one gold mentioned, four silver, and three bronze. In addition to Kratochvíl, these were secured by table tennis player Tomáš Suchánek, archers Šárka Pultar Musilová, David Drahonínský, and Tereza Brandtlová, and swimmer Arnošt Petráček. In the national rankings, the Czech Republic finished in 53rd place which may not sound so grand. But there is no doubt that the Paralympics brought joy not just to the athletes themselves but also to millions of their fans in Czechia who followed the games live on large screens in many places. Including the village of Halže in Western Bohemia where David Kratochvíl lives. David’s grandparents Stanislav and Vladimíra did not hide how happy they were:
"It's an amazing performance. He’s probably been through a lot of these races by now, but it’s incredible because, at 16, achieving this kind of success, even with medals, is something very few people manage to do."
And how are they going to welcome David in his village?
"I have no idea, but I think we’ll relax and cook something nice that he wants. Well, probably beef sirloin with cream sauce, really, because he loves that dish."
Some of David Kratochvíl's neighbors were so moved by his success that they even cried, including one called Viktoria:
“I cry too, but it’s always just for a moment. I have to cheer him on, right? Really cheer him on. It’s happiness for all of us, for him. I have to say, it must be an incredible feeling for him. I’m truly rooting for him in everything, in his whole life. He grew up right before our eyes; we’ve known each other since he was little. It’s really wonderful.”
