Ivan Hlinka was a Czech professional ice hockey player and coach. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in Czech ice hockey history. A big centre, his playing style was comparable to Phil Esposito, often scoring with shots from the slot. He played most of his career with HC Litvínov and spent two seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks. Internationally, Hlinka played for the Czechoslovakia men's national ice hockey team and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2002. After retiring as a player, he turned to coaching, leading the Czech national team to gold at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano and spending two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His legacy includes the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament for national under-18 hockey teams, and the Ivan Hlinka Stadion.
The Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of the Czech Republic. Since 2021, the team has been officially known in English as Czechia. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in history and a member of the so-called "Big Six", the unofficial group of the six strongest men's ice hockey nations, along with Canada, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States. It is governed by the Czech Ice Hockey Association. The Czech Republic has 85,000 male players officially enrolled in organized hockey.
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR. 209 competitors, 162 men and 47 women, took part in 114 events in 21 sports.
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, was the 17th Olympic Championship. The games were played at the Méribel Ice Palace in Méribel, about 45 km from host city Albertville. The competition, held from 9 to 23 February, was won by the Unified Team in its only appearance. The team was composed of some newly emerged nations from the former Soviet Union, which had dissolved just weeks before the Games began. Canada won the silver medal, its first hockey medal since 1968 and 11th Olympic ice hockey medal.
The Czech and Slovak Federative Republic competed as a nation for the last time at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the Czech Republic and Slovakia would compete as independent nations at the 1996 Summer Olympics. 208 competitors, 146 men and 62 women, took part in 121 events in 25 sports.
The Czechoslovakia men's national ice hockey team was the national ice hockey team of Czechoslovakia, and competed from 1920 until 1992. The successor to the Bohemia national ice hockey team, which was a European power prior to World War I, the Czechoslovak national team first appeared at the 1920 Summer Olympics, two years after the creation of the state. In the 1940s, they established themselves as the best team in Europe, becoming the first team from the continent to win two World Championships. After the arrival of the Soviet Union on the international hockey scene in the 1950s, the Czechoslovaks regularly fought Sweden and Canada for silver and bronze medals, and sometimes beat the Soviets. In total, they won the gold medal six times.
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, after having boycotted the previous Games in 1984. 163 competitors, 110 men and 53 women, took part in 97 events in 17 sports.
Alpine skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics at Albertville, France, consisted of ten alpine skiing events, held 9–22 February. The men's races were held at Val d’Isère, except for the slalom, which was at Les Menuires. All five women's events were conducted at Méribel.
The Czechoslovakia national basketball team represented Czechoslovakia in international basketball from 1932 to 1992. After the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia set up their own national teams. Both teams are recognized as the successor to the Czechoslovak team.
HC Dynamo Pardubice is a professional ice hockey club that plays in the Czech Extraliga. Its home venue is Enteria arena located in Pardubice. The club was originally named LTC Pardubice, acquiring its current name at the start of the 2015–16 season.
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 163 competitors, 125 men and 38 women, took part in 79 events in 16 sports.
Petr Barna is a Czech former competitive figure skater who competed for Czechoslovakia. He is the 1992 European champion, the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist, and a seven-time Czechoslovak national champion.
The Czech Republic competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. It was the first Winter Games since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, and so the Czech Republic and Slovakia competed as independent teams.
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States.
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. 121 competitors, 94 men and 27 women, took part in 66 events in 14 sports.
Sports play a significant part in the life of many Czechs who are generally loyal supporters of their favourite teams or individuals.
The Czech Republic participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, sending 92 participants, the largest Czech team ever to appear at the Winter Olympics. The Czechs competed in the majority of events, except curling, skeleton and women's ice hockey. Hockey player Jaromír Jágr served as flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
The Unified Team was the name used for the sports team of eleven former constituent republics of the Soviet Union (excluding Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, and Lithuania) at the 1992 Winter Paralympics in Albertville and the 1992 Summer Paralympics in Barcelona. The IOC country code was EUN, after the French name, Équipe Unifiée.
The 2000 IIHF World Championship final was an ice hockey match that took place on 14 May 2000 at the Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to determine the winner of the 2000 IIHF World Championship. The Czech Republic defeated Slovakia 5–3 to win its second championship.
Czech Republic (1994–)
Slovakia (1994–)
