Sports News

The Czech Republic's ice hockey squad have left for the World Championships in Sweden - they'll be hoping to make it four titles in a row. As the football league draws to a close, two Liberec players fight it out for top scorer of the season. And decathlete Roman Sebrle has a new coach - javelin legend Jan Zelezny. All those stories and more in Sports News with Ian Willoughby.

Sports News

Czech ice hockey team hopes to make it four World Championships in a row

Captain Jaromir Jagr, photo CTK

The Czech ice hockey squad have left for the World Championships in Sweden. The Czech Republic have had an amazing winning streak at the World Championships in recent years, winning the last three. Their campaign to make it a fourth in a row starts on Friday, when they take on Switzerland. On Sunday they play Japan. Captain Jaromir Jagr's problems with insurance have been resolved; the Czech Ice Hockey Union have come to the rescue, stumping up the $165,000 insurance fee. As a warm-up for Sweden, the Czech Republic took on Austria in Pardubice on Tuesday. Goaltender Hnilicka kept a clean sheet as the Czechs put on a sterling display in defence. They weren't lacking at the other end either, and won 6:0.

Hlinka signs with Siberian club Omsk, club chairman praises "brother Slavs"

Former Czech coach Ivan Hlinka has, after all, signed a contract with the Siberian club Omsk. Club chairman Anatoly Bardin said Russian clubs were showing interest in Czech coaches and players not only for their knowledge of Russian - they are "brother Slavs" he said.

Viktoria Zizkov fall further behind Liberec as season draws to a close

Viktoria Zizkov are the only team who can catch Slovan Liberec as the football league title race comes to a close. You wouldn't have known it watching their 0:0 draw against Hradec Kralove on Monday - it was a poor game and the few chances Zizkov did have were sent miles wide.

Two Liberec players fight it out for goal-scorer of the season

The title race could be decided this weekend. Liberec travel to Teplice, while Viktoria Zizkov - 6 points behind - visit Drnovice. Two Liberec players in particular will be keen to get on the score sheet; Jan Nezmar and Jiri Stajner have scored 14 league goals apiece - either or both could be the season's top scorer three weeks from now. It has to mean something, two strikers from the same club leading the goal-scoring table, said Liberec manager Ladislav Skorpil.

Czech cup final a Sparta-Slavia Prague derby

The Czech cup final on May 13 will be a Prague derby between old rivals Sparta and Slavia. If you're wondering why this is the first time we've mentioned the cup this season it's because, relatively speaking, the Czech cup generates very little interest. But Sparta will be hoping to win; they can't now get into the Champions League qualifications, and would be glad of a chance of UEFA Cup action.

Two top womens' tennis players out of Fed Cup team for Croatia tie

Decathlete Roman Sebrle's new trainer none other than javelin legend Jan Zelezny

World decathlon points record holder Roman Sebrle has just returned from training in South Africa, and revealed that he has a new trainer - Jan Zelezny has been giving him a few tips on the javelin. You couldn't ask for a more qualified coach - Zelezny is widely regarded as the greatest athlete ever in the javelin.