Skater Sáblíková may look abroad

Czech Olympic hero Martina Sáblíková has been losing patience with modest training conditions in her home country.

After winning three medals - two gold and one bronze - at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver two months ago, local sports officials and also representatives of Sáblíková's hometown Velký Osek declared her success would expedite the building of a speed-skating arena near her home.

"Actual construction could start by the end of this year," Velký Osek Mayor Jiří Otta said in early March.

At the time, Otta also said an investor for the 1.5 billion Kč project had been secured. However, he did not elaborate on details of the investment.

"Money will originate in America and will be managed by the Czechs," Otta said, adding that he would name the investor in April.

However, Otta admitted in late April that he, in fact, did not know who the investor was.

"I do not know the actual investor. I only deal with his intermediaries," Otta said.

He added it was also unclear who the developer of the arena should be. However, he insisted the investor was real.

"If he declined to provide the financing, we would turn to two other would-be investors," Otta said.

But Sáblíková's coach, Petr Novák, said he and Sáblíková might move abroad if construction does not commence within a year. In the past, he has even threatened that Sáblíková might compete under the flag of another country. Now, Novák is less radical.

"Should we not have the opportunity to practice here, we'd have to consider other options," Novák said.

Hockey triumph

Veteran hockey goaltender Dominik Hašek has notched another triumph on his belt after winning, with Pardubice, the Extraliga title. In the final series that ended April 22, Pardubice swept Vítkovice 4-0. The 45-year-old goaltender, who had already won two Czechoslovak league titles and two Stanley Cup titles, added his first Extraliga title.

"I'm quite competitive," Hašek said. "Although I celebrated two Stanley Cup victories and also the Olympic gold in the past, I very much enjoyed winning with Pardubice now. Winning the league with my mother club is fantastic."

Hašek joined Pardubice last summer after a one-year retirement.

"I would've never thought that I would ever come back to Pardubice and that I would celebrate the title with them," Hašek said. "After my comeback, I never regretted my decision."

On the ice, he was a key player in Pardubice's march to the title.

"Pardubice had a very well organized defense cemented by Hašek," said Vítkovice forward Viktor Ujčík shortly after the end of the final series.

In the past, Hašek had announced retirement three times. Now, he says he does not want to make any rushed decision and will consider his future on the ice over the summer break. He has not ruled out playing another season with Pardubice.

"My challenge would obviously be to defend the Extraliga title," Hašek said.

František Bouc can be reached at
fbouc@praguepost.com