Sydney Olympics draw to a close
Yes, it's sport of course, and with a spectacular closing ceremony in the Australia Stadium on Sunday, the curtain finally fell on the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
With a final total of 2 golds, 3 silvers and 3 bronzes, the Czech team finished 28th in the medals table, substantially lower than many had predicted before the Games. Due to injury or fitness problems, many of the expected challenges for medals failed to materialize, particularly in the track and field events. But as Karel Pilny, the Chairman of the Czech Athletics Association explains, it is still possible to take heart from the team's modest achievements Down Under: For many Czechs, though, the enduring memory of the Games will be Jan Zelezny's giant throw in the Javelin. The over-90m attempt set a new Olympic record and secured the Czech his third successive gold medal. Karel Pilny again: In fact it was double joy for Zelezny, as he was finally elected to the International Olympic Committee on Saturday. Zelezny was elected alongside seven other sporting greats such as the swimming stars Susie O'Neill and Alexander Popov and the retiring pole-vaulter Sergei Bubka.
The final medal for the Czechs in Sydney was Rudolf Kraj's unexpected silver in Light-Heavyweight boxing. Kraj had the chance to become the first Czech boxing champion in 40 years, however, he was well beaten for the gold by the Russian Alexander Lebziak.
Better luck in Athens.
