Sports News

Cross country skier Katerina Neumannova has continued her remarkable comeback, coming third at a World Cup meeting in Moravia. In the Paris to Dakar Rally the two Czech Tatra teams taking part finished some way off the pace. Teplice's star midfielder Petr Vorisek looks bound for Sparta Prague, while England's Chelsea have bid for Czech international Tomas Rosicky.

Sports News

Skier Neummanova again reaches podium, this time in front of home crowd

Katerina Neumannova, photo: CTK

After recently winning her first two World Cup cross country skiing races since having a baby in the summer, Czech skier Katerina Neummanova again reached the podium at the weekend, this time collecting bronze in the 10 kilometre classic. She and other Czech competitors were cheered on by a home crowd of 32,000, a record for the Nove Mesto na Morave track. Neummanova said the fairytale of winning two comeback races in a row had to end sometime and she was not disappointed with third place.

"I'm satisfied because this race was far less easy than the first two. I really had to push myself hard and at one point I was almost seeing stars. It was far and away my hardest race so far this year and I'm satisfied with the result."

Czech skier Lukas Bauer, who came first in Nove Mesto last year, finished fourth this time out in the 15 kilometre classic. It was his second fourth place in this season's World Cup.

Czech Tatra teams finish down the field as Paris to Dakar Rally ends

Rallye Dakar, photo: CTK

There was disappointment for two Czech Tatra crews in the truck category of the Paris to Dakar Rally, which ended on Sunday. Karel Loprais, who has won the event six times, finished in seventh, one place behind Tomas Tomecek. Tomecek, who came second in last year's rally, had this to say in Dakar on Sunday.

"The start of the rally went really nicely for us but the end was a bit unpleasant. We had the same problem with the truck three times and it was a bit of an unhappy finish. But we're glad that we're all well and we managed to get the truck as far as Dakar, and I'm already looking forward to next year."

Vorisek for Sparta? Rosicky for Chelsea?? Chovanec for Bratislava

With two weeks of football's transfer window remaining, Sparta Prague look set to sign talented young midfielder Petr Vorisek from Teplice, who would gain three Sparta squad players and financial compensation in the deal. On the European stage, Chelsea have made an offer for Czech international Tomas Rosicky, whose club Borussia Dortmund are going through a financial crisis. Rosicky, who is 23, has also been linked to other world-famous clubs such as Juventus and Barcelona. And former Czech international manager Jozef Chovanec, who is from Slovakia, has taken the helm at Slovan Bratislava.

Top Czech men's swimmer sets three new personal records

It was a successful weekend for the leading Czech men's swimmer, Kvetoslav Svoboda, who won five events and set three new personal records at a short course meeting in Germany's Bad Reichenhall.

Leaders Pardubice whupped by second-placed Zlin

In the latest round of ice hockey's Extraliga on Sunday leaders Pardubice were thrashed 6:1 by second-placed Hame Zlin, who were celebrating the club's 75th anniversary. As the play-offs approach Slavia, Sparta and Znojmo are now all on 68 points, just two behind Zlin.