The Czech curling duo of Julie Zelingrova and Vit Chabichovsky secured their first win at the Olympic mixed doubles tournament in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on . They defeated Korea 9-4 in their fifth match, with both teams previously having lost their first four games.
This victory marks a significant improvement in performance for the Czech team, who had previously faced defeats against strong contenders Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, and the USA. According to reports, the match against Korea mirrored their December Olympic qualification win in Canada. The game was closely contested, with several points requiring careful judgment from officials to determine stone placement within the target circles.
“We feel great about ourselves, we are happy. We put on a super performance, which makes it all the more valuable,” Zelingrova told Czech Television, as reported by sources. Chabichovsky quickly added, “I played quite badly, but it wasn’t terrible,” offering a self-deprecating assessment with a smile.
Chabichovsky further elaborated on his performance, stating, “I had quite a big problem with speed on the ‘takeouts,’ but fortunately, my ‘hits’ went well. So, I think it was deserved, even though Julie definitely played better.” This suggests a collaborative effort where Zelingrova’s consistent performance compensated for Chabichovsky’s struggles with certain aspects of the game.
The nineteen-year-old Zelingrova and the twenty-one-year-old Chabichovsky are continuing the Czech Olympic curling tradition, following in the footsteps of Zuzana and Tomas Paul, who finished sixth in the mixed doubles event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Their current performance suggests a potential for improvement upon that result.
The Olympic mixed doubles curling tournament features ten teams competing in a round-robin format, where each team plays every other team once. The top four teams will advance to the playoffs, culminating in a final match on . The Czech Republic will also be represented in the men’s team competition, which begins the following day.
Curling, a sport requiring both physical skill and strategic thinking, involves sliding stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. Teams alternate turns, with players sweeping the ice in front of the stone to influence its trajectory. The objective is to have more stones closer to the center of the target than the opposing team. The sport’s complexity lies in the interplay between stone weight, speed, and the sweeping technique, requiring precise coordination and anticipation.
The Winter Olympic Games, as highlighted by historical context, originated in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Inspired by the ancient Olympic Games held in Greece, the modern games were championed by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894. The IOC governs the Olympic Movement, establishing the rules and regulations outlined in the Olympic Charter.
The 2026 Winter Olympics, hosted in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, feature a diverse range of winter sports, including alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, luge, Nordic combined, short track speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, snowboarding, and speed skating. The inclusion of these sports reflects the breadth of athletic competition possible on snow and ice.
The success of the Czech curling team, while a single win in a larger tournament, demonstrates the growing competitiveness of the sport on the international stage. Their journey through the round-robin stage will be closely watched as they aim to secure a playoff berth and potentially contribute to the Czech Republic’s overall medal count at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The team’s next challenge is a match against Switzerland, a team with a slightly better record of 2-3, offering another opportunity to demonstrate their improving form.
The Winter Youth Olympic Games, a separate event held in Gangwon Province, South Korea in January and February 2024, provide a platform for young athletes to compete and gain experience. This event, known as Gangwon 2024, was the fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympics and the first to be held in Asia. It underscores the IOC’s commitment to fostering the development of future Olympic athletes.
