Since the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993, it was Lillehammer 1994 where Czech Republic not only made their winter games debut, but it was their Olympics debut as a new country. They have had athletes qualify for the winter games ever since. A total of 16 medals were won by Czechs in the winter games, including five gold medals.
Martina Sablikova (pictured) is the only multiple gold medalist in the winter Olympics for Czech Republic. She won both gold medals at Vancouver 2010 in the women's 3000m and 5000m speed skating events.
Katerina Neumannova and Ales Valenta were the other Czechs to win gold in individual events in the winter Olympics. Valenta won gold in the men's freestyle aerials at Salt Lake City 2002, while Neumannova won gold in the women's 30km cross country event at Turin 2006.
However it was the Czech men's ice hockey team who brought home that country's first winter gold medal at Nagano 1998, with a win against a heavily favored Russian side in the gold medal match.
The Czechs will yet again have a men's ice hockey team qualified for Sochi, as well as quota spots for biathlon and speed skating events.
Up next: Denmark
No comments:
Post a Comment