Veteran Czech Ski Jumper Steps Away From Competition to start a Family
Predazz, Italy – Czech ski jumper Lucie Straskova, a veteran of numerous Winter Games and World Cup competitions, is pausing her athletic career to focus on starting a family. The announcement comes as her younger sister, Anežka Straskova, prepares to compete as the sole Czech woman at the World Cup in Lillehammer, beginning Friday.
Straskova, 36, experienced the recent Beijing Olympics as a competitor and is now looking forward to supporting her sister and the Czech team from the stands. “I experienced the covid games in Beijing, now I’m looking forward to the atmosphere and the role of a fan. And hopefully some nice Czech result will come,” she stated on the Dukla website. This decision marks a significant transition for one of the Czech Republic’s most experienced ski jumpers, opening space for the next generation while she embarks on a new chapter.
The sisters share a close bond, collaborating closely despite working with different coaches. Lucie Straskova noted, “We are vrey close, we solve everything together. She has a different coach, she praises the cooperation. Now comes the real comparison,” referring to Anežka’s upcoming performance in Lillehammer.Anežka, nine years younger than Lucie, will be under pressure as the only female representative from the Czech Republic at the event.
Alongside the Straskova sisters, 36-year-old Roman Koudelka will represent the Czech Republic in the men’s races, having trained with a strong Polish team during the off-season. Jaroslav Sakala, a former world champion in ski jumping, serves as the head coach for the Czech jumping team.