Eight gold Czech records so far
At the previous nine EYOWFs, young Czech athletes gathered 30 medals: 8 gold; 11 silver; and 11 bronze. The most successful expedition was the one in Bled in 2003, which came home with a 2-3-4 balance. However in Jaca, in 2007, the Czechs did not gain any medal at all for the first time ever but since then for the last time!
Czechs are undisputedly most successful in Cross Country Skiing. Since the mid 1990s, young athletes have gained a respectable collection of medals in this discipline: 5 gold; 3 silver; and 5 bronze. Their sport number two is Biathlon (2-5-2), in which they were especially successful in Bled, where the Ice Hockey players added their share to the collection of gold (1-0-1). A bronze medal of Kateřina Beránková is also worth mentioning, as a curiosity. In Aosta in 1993, she was third in the contest of individuals - yet afterwards she has always participated in couples ice dancing.
“I love remembering the contest. At that time, all of Andorra lived the Olympic atmosphere. The country even issued special currency for this occasion, which became a precious collection souvenir.” – ZUZANA KOCUMOVÁ, Czech athlete and EYOWF 1995 Cross Country Skiing winner
Starring Martin Koukal
The Czech Republic may also pride itself with several representatives, who successfully participated in this youth contest, and became successful among adults. These primarily include EYOWF medallists: Golden Cross Country Skiers: Zuzana Kocumová and Martin Koukal; silver Alpine Skier Kryštof Krýzl; and bronze: Figure Skater Kateřina Beránková; Cross Country Skier Kateřina Hanušová; Biathlete Michal Šlesingr; and Ice Hockey Players such as: Tomáš Plekanec, Miroslav Blaťák, Štěpán Hřebejk, Jan Hanzlík or Václav Nedorost . In Val di Fiemme in 2003, Martin Koukal has become the world champion in the adult group of 50km free technique.
EYOWF provided first important foreign experience for both current and recent representatives: Cross Country Skiers Milan Šperl; and Helena Balatková; Biatlhletes Tomáš Holubec; Ondřej Moravec; and Magda Rezlerová; Alpine Skiers Petra and Boris Zakouřil; Ski Jumper Jan Mazoch; or Ice Hockey Players Lukáš Mensator; Tomáš Pöpperle; Marek Schwarz; Jakub Lanhammer; Lukáš Pabiška; Tomáš Klimenta; Jakub Šindel; Michal Gulaši; Martin Podlešák; and many others.
The Czech Hockey winners from 2005, in charge of the trainers Martin Pešout and Josef Halousek, also have exceptional careers opening ahead of them: Vladimír Růžička junior; Jakub Sklenář; David Květoň; Jiří Tlustý; Martin Látal; Michal Řepík; Antonín Drbohlav; Pavel Kuběna; Patrik Prokop; Ondřej Roman; Michal Kazatel and Michal Neuvirth etc.
"The atmosphere of youth Olympics in Monthey was really outstanding. We were about 16, 17 years old at that time and enjoying everything so much. Opening ceremony, lighting the Olympic flame - all of it was incredible. We felt being part of huge tournament." – VLADIMÍR RŮŽIČKA jr., Czech Ice Hockey forward and winner of Ice Hockey tournament EYOWF 2005.
EYOWF and medal balance of the Czech Republic
YEAR |
ORGANISER |
GOLD |
SILVER |
BRONZE |
1993 |
Aosta |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1995 |
Andorra la Vella |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1997 |
Sundsvall |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1999 |
Poprad |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2001 |
Vuokatti |
1 |
3 |
0 |
2003 |
Bled |
2 |
3 |
4 |
2005 |
Monthey |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2007 |
Jaca |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Note: A joint Czech-Slovak expedition participated in Aosta - Michal Bajčičák, a Cross Country Skier won the third bronze medal.
Czech winners
Gold medals:
1995 |
Andorra |
Martin Koukal |
Cross Country Skiing - 10km classic |
1995 |
Andorra |
Zuzana Kocumová |
Cross Country Skiing - 7.5km classic |
2001 |
Vuokatti |
Petra Markelová |
Cross Country Skiing - 5km classic |
2003 |
Bled |
Lada Dušková |
Biathlon - 7.5km |
2003 |
Bled |
Tereza Hlavsová |
Biathlon - 6km sprint |
2005 |
Monthey |
Ice Hockey Team |
|
2005 |
Monthey |
Onřej Horyna |
Cross Country Skiing - 10km free technique |
2005 |
Monthey |
Mixed Relay race in Cross Country Skiing |
Jan Rykr, Eliška Hájková, Ondřej Horyna, Lenka Munclingerová |
Silver medals:
1995 |
Andorra |
Martin Koukal |
Cross Country Skiing - 10km free technique |
1997 |
Sundsvall |
Jaroslav Vávra |
Biathlon - 7.6km sprint |
1997 |
Sundsvall |
Jana Svobodová |
Cross Country Skiing - 7.5km free technique |
2001 |
Vuokatti |
Ondřej Moravec |
Biathlon - 12km |
2001 |
Vuokatti |
Mixed Relay race in Biathlon |
Ondřej Moravec, Michaela Stránská, Michal Šlesingr, Klára Moravcová |
2001 |
Vuokatti |
Marcela Kramárová |
Speed Skating - 500m |
2003 |
Bled |
Kryšrof Krýzl |
Apline Skiing - slalom |
2003 |
Bled |
Tereza Hlavsová |
Biathlon - 7.5km |
2003 |
Bled |
Petra Moravcová |
Biathlon - 6km sprint |
2005 |
Monthey |
Eliška Hájková |
Cross Country Skiing - 5km classic |
Bronze medals:
1993 |
Aosta |
Kateřina Hanušová |
Cross Country Skiing - 7.5km free technique |
1993 |
Aosta |
Kateřina Beránková |
Figure Skating - women |
1995 |
Andorra |
Mixed Relay race in Cross Country Skiing |
Michal Hobza, Marta Halamová, Martin Koukal, Zuzana Kocumová |
1997 |
Sundsvall |
Mixed Relay reca in Cross Country Skiing |
Josef Ondráček, Tereza Tichotová, Oldřich Hakl, Jana Svobodová |
1999 |
Poprad |
Ice Hockey Team |
|
1999 |
Poprad |
Václav Švub |
Cross Country Skiing - 10km classic |
2003 |
Bled |
Kryštof Krýzl |
Alpine Skiing - parallel slalom |
2003 |
Bled |
Václav Kupilík |
Cross Country Skiing - 10km free technique |
2003 |
Bled |
Lada Dušková |
Biathlon - 6km sprint |
2003 |
Bled |
Mixed Relay race in Biathlon |
Pavel Suchánek, Lada Dušková, Petr Hradecký, Tereza Hlavsová |
|