In Sports News: Šárka Strachová makes a comeback at the World Championships; the women’s biathlon team continue their winning streak and are again in the medals; speed skater Martina Sáblíková beats the Dutch on their home ground; Tomáš Berdych fails to hold onto Rotterdam title; and in football Teplice split with coach.
Šárka Strachová makes emotional comeback with bronze at Beaver Creek
Šárka Strachová, photo: CTK
It’s been a long wait for Czech slalom skier Šárka Strachová, formerly Záhrobská. The last major championship she won was the bronze medal at the Olympic games in Vancouver in 2010. In the intervening years came the dramatic split with her initial trainer, her father; the breakdown of the team that took over amid poor results, and a suspected brain tumor. But at the World Championships at Beaver Creek on Sunday, Strachová was once again on the winner's podium with a slalom bronze medal.
And she admitted her emotion afterwards. “For me this bronze medal is almost the same as a gold one. I am really proud what I did today and that after all these months I am back. I am proud as well for my team. We prepared well and I am really glad with what we achieved.” Strachová already has a full collection of world championship medals with the gold won way back in 2007.
Women’s biathlon relay team wins third gold medal
Veronika Vítková, Jitka Landová, Gabriela Soukalová, Eva Puskarčíková, photo: CTK
Staying with the snow, the Czech women’s biathlon relay team have made it a third victory from five starts this season with another world cup win this time in Oslo. The Czech foursome eventually ended up almost half a minute ahead of the second placed Italians. Jitka Landová catapulted the Czech team into first place with no errors with the rifle during both trials with Veronika Vítková going on to consolidate the gain with the final leg of the relay.
Martina Sáblíková picks up two golds at World Championships
Martina Sáblíková, photo: CTK
Czech speed skating champion, Martina Sáblíková has taken the gold medal in the women’s 3,000 and 5,000 metre events at the World Championships in Heerenveen, Netherlands. The Czech speed skater beat defending champion Ireen Wüst of the Netherlands by more than a second in the 3,000 metres event. She added to her medal tally with nearly two seconds between her and silver winner Carlijn Achtereekte in the 5,000 metres. Czech Karolína Erbanová took bronze in the 1,000 metres.
Tomáš Berdych fails to beat bogeyman Wawrinka in Rotterdam final
Tomáš Berdych, photo: CTK
In tennis, Tomáš Berdych went into the Rotterdam Open with a view to defending the title he picked up there a year ago. And in spite of being seeded third, the Czech number one made it through to the final to face Switzerland’s Stanislav Wawrinka. But Berdych’s run of five previous defeats against Wawrinka became six after he went down 6:4; 3:6, 4:6, in just over two hours. In spite of the defeat, Berdych took away some positives from the match and is looking forward to overcoming his Swiss bogey man next time they meet.
“Still, I think it was a good match. I had my chances at the beginning of the second set, which I did not make, and I think that cost me the match. But that is how it is. In think I can still see some positive things because the last time I played him it was a completely different way, I was not able to deal with the way he was playing. Today it was completely different.”
FK Teplice part ways with Zdeněk Ščasný
Zdeněk Ščasný, photo: CTK
And finally, with one week to go before the re-start of the Czech domestic football league, FK Teplice have announced a parting of the ways with trainer Zdeněk Ščasný. Teplice were sixth in the Synot league before the winter break. No reasons for the sudden departure have been given. Teplice won just one of their last five league games before the break.
