Sports News

In Sports News: Czech football champions Slovan Liberec have maintained their excellent start to the current season; Lukas Hartig makes a dream return to the Czech league - scoring two days after signing for Olomouc; the Czech Fed Cup coach welcomes a draw with "former brothers" Slovakia; and the Czech women's basketball team qualify for the knock-out stages at the World Championships.

Champions Liberec continue great start to season

Slovan Liberec - Siad Most, photo: CTK

Last season's Czech football league champions Slovan Liberec have maintained their excellent start to the current season, topping the table with 19 points from a possible 21. Liberec's latest scalp is Most, who they beat 3:0 on Sunday. Two of those goals came from Petr Papousek, with the second a superb strike into the top right hand corner. Most goalkeeper Martin Vaniak was impressed by Papousek's technique, though he also found fault with his team-mates.

Martin Vaniak, photo: CTK

"What can you do? He struck it beautifully. In the case of both his goals there was one problem - we gave him too much space, that was our biggest mistake. As with the first goal, he was left alone for the second - he set it up and then hit it beautifully."

Vaniak's opposite number Marek Cech continued his fine run at the weekend: Cech has now gone over six hours without conceding a goal.

Hartig scores two days after joining Olomouc

Sigma Olomouc - Brno, photo: CTK

Elsewhere, Lukas Hartig made a dream return to the Czech league. After signing with Sigma Olomouc from Bratislava's Artmedia on Friday, Hartig scored his first goal for Olomouc just two days later; their 1:0 win over Brno was their first of the season.

Czech coach welcomes Fed Cup draw with Slovakia

The Czech women's tennis team have been drawn to play Slovakia in the first round of the Fed Cup's World Group II next April. The Czechs will have home advantage over their former federal partners, and coach Tomas Petera was quite satisfied with the draw.

"It's definitely not the easiest draw but I think we should be able to deal with them. The tie will definitely have a specific atmosphere, the Slovaks are our former brothers and it will be really emotional. Today we'd definitely be favourites - Vaidisova and Safarova are stronger than any Slovak pair."

Women's basketball team into knock-out stage of World Championships

Czech Republic - Russia, photo: CTK

The Czech women's basketball team have qualified for the knock-out stage of the World Championships in Brazil, after beating China 79:73 and Russia 85:83. They are now waiting to find out who they face in Wednesday's quarter-finals.

Janku ends good season on a high

Tomas Janku, photo: CTK

Athletics and Czech high jumper Tomas Janku crowned a very good season with first place at the IAAF World Cup in Athens on Saturday. Janku, who took silver at the European Championships in Gothenburg, claimed top spot in Athens with a jump of 228 cm.

Velka Chuchle race held for 100th time

The 100th Velka Chuchle horse race was held in Prague on Sunday. Among the special guests was Hungarian jockey Pal Kallai, who is still racing at the age of 73.