A record-breaking delegation! Czechs brought home 28 medals from the European Games

Kayaker Jiří Prskavec as the flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the European Games waved the Czech flag enthusiastically. “I had no more strength left after the races, my arm was stiff, and it really hurt, but I did it for the team,” said the gold medalist with a smile. “I waved as hard as I could, all the way till the end, and our presence was visible.” The performance of the Czech team at the third European Games was also visible. The total of 28 medals – 7 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze – is a record.

“Before the Games I didn't even want to speculate about how many medals we could get. But this surprised me a bit,” said Martin Doktor, the head of the delegation. “I am glad that the expectations of the athletes and the members of the entourage were met in several disciplines, but it is nice that some of the medals we didn’t even expect. Compared to 2019, our team is twice as strong, so it is good that the medal count increased accordingly.”

The Czech team won seven medals in Baku in 2015 and thirteen in Minsk in 2019. In addition to the traditional Olympic sports, the Polish edition included several non-Olympic competitions and introduced new sports such as padel and teqball. Czech athletes secured 28 medal placements in ten different disciplines. Canoeists were the most successful. The slalom team won seven medals, three of them gold. Martin Fuksa added his fourth victory in flatwater canoeing. Shooters claimed eight medals in Wroclaw. Canoe slalomer Tereza Fišerová and shooter Jiří Přívratský won three medals each. Overall, the Czech team ranked 11th in the medal standings of the 48 participating countries.

Jíří Prskavec and shooter Martin Podhráský secured their spots at the Olympics, and pentathlete Lucie Hlaváčková made a significant step towards qualification.

The Games in Poland also became the venue of the European Championships in twelve sports. Nineteen competitions also presented an opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris. “Jíří Prskavec and shooter Martin Podhráský secured their spots at the Olympics, and pentathlete Lucie Hlaváčková made a significant step towards qualification,” added Martin Doktor. “The female rugby team also made it to the final Olympic qualification. It was clear that their mind was set, and they were going to do what it takes to get there. Working with their team was a pleasure.”