Czechia strikes gold and silver in historic Olympic weekend in Milan

Czech athletes delivered a historic double-medal performance at the Winter Olympics in Italy on Sunday, as 22-year-old Zuzana Maděrová claimed gold in the parallel giant slalom and teenager Metoděj Jílek secured silver on the speed skating oval.

The victories have ignited celebrations across the Czech Republic, marking the nation’s most successful day of the 2026 Games so far. Maděrová, a native of Liberec, stunned the field in sunny Livigno by defeating Austrian Sabine Payer in the final.

The win represents a passing of the torch in Czech winter sports, as Maděrová triumphed after legendary teammate Ester Ledecká was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

"Being an Olympic champion sounds great, I'm not used to it yet," Maděrová told Czech Television. "It's a dream come true, more than a dream come true. I always wanted to compete with the best, but I never thought I could win."

The golden run was followed by a breakthrough performance in Milan by 19-year-old Metoděj Jílek. Competing in his first-ever Olympic event, Jílek took silver in the 5,000-meter speed skating race.

His success has brought renewed attention to the lack of training facilities in the Czech Republic, a long-standing issue for local skaters.

President Petr Pavel, who watched the snowboarding events alongside Czech fans in Livigno, was among the first to offer praise. "Successful Olympic day for the Czech Republic. Big congratulations to Metoděj Jílek on silver... Keep it up!" Pavel wrote on social media.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš also congratulated the pair, noting that "the medals are ringing" for the Czech team. The sentiment was echoed by Sports Minister Boris Šťastný, who described Jílek’s rise as "a story like from an American movie."

While the day belonged to the newcomers, three-time gold medalist Ester Ledecká was unable to defend her title, finishing fifth after a mistake in the quarterfinals. A tearful Ledecká apologized to fans but offered warm praise for Maděrová, stating she "deserved it for the whole season."

The Czech team now looks ahead to Thursday, where Ledecká remains a medal favorite in the super-G skiing event.

As of Monday morning, Feb. 9, 2026, the Czech Republic sits in a strong 7th place on the overall medal table, tied with France and Sweden. The early surge is thanks to the gold and silver won on Sunday.