Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Germany to the west, Austria to the south, Slovakia to the south-east and Poland to the north-east. Prague is the capital and largest city, with 1.3 million residents. The Czech Republic includes the historical territories of Bohemia and Moravia, and Czech Silesia.

Czechoslovakia remained occupied until the 1989 Velvet Revolution, when the communist regime collapsed and a multiparty parliamentary republic was formed. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved, with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic is a developed country with advanced economy and high living standards.

Tourism in Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has become one of the major tourist destinations in Europe. The capital, Prague, is the most popular destination. Other highly-visited destinations include Karlštejn Castle, Kutná Hora, Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and the Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape. The Czech countryside offers protected areas such as Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj), Bohemian Karst (Český kras) and Šumava National Park. The countryside features castles, caves and other landmarks. In Southern Bohemia, the Šumava Mountains, also in Vysočina, Jizerské hory and Beskydy contain many hiking and cross-country skiing possibilities. The nature reserve Rejvíz is a popular destination in the Jeseníky Mountains.

Skiing resorts are located from Northern East to Northern West Czech Republic. The most famous and popular resorts lies in the Krkonoše Mountains. Krkonoše includes the tourist centre of Harrachov.

Sport in Czech Republik

Sports play a part in the life of many Czechs, who are generally loyal supporters of their favorite teams or individuals. The three leading sports in the Czech Republic are ice hockey, football and sport shooting, with the first two drawing the largest attention of both the media and supporters. Tennis is also a very popular sport in the Czech Republic. The many other sports with professional leagues and structures include basketball, volleyball, team handball, track and field athletics and floorball. The Czech ice hockey team won the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics and has won six gold medals at the World Championships including three straight from 1999 to 2001. In total the country has won 14 gold medals in summer (plus 49 as Czechoslovakia) and five gold medals (plus two as Czechoslovakia) in winter Olympic history.

Wrestling in Czech Republik

Wrestling is called "zapas" in Czech Republic . The National Wrestling Federation has its headquarters in the capital Prague and is called „Svaz zápasu České republiky“ and as President acts Mr. Belo Svitek from Teplice. Wrestling is traditionally anchored in Czech Republic and there are arround 50 wrestling clubs across the country. In Czech Republic, greco/roman is more popular than freestyle wrestling and female wrestling is also exercised.

                                                                                                                                   Marek Svec, the most succesful czech Wrestler in the last decade.

International situation

Within the Czechoslovak national team, the Czech Wrestlers played mostly a good role internationally.
After the political changes and the separation of Czechoslovakia at the beginning of the nineties, this level could not be maintained. The Czech Wrestling Association has too few members to compete internationally with the great wrestling nations. For the small Czech Wrestling Federation, it is increasingly difficult to qualify athletes for the Olympic Games. In the years from 1992 to 2004 there were three or two czech wrestlers at the Games. 2008 and 2012 succeeded only one wrestler to qualify. The best placement on the Olympic Games realized semi-heavyweight Marek Svec with the fifth place in Beijing in Greco / Roman style. At the World Championships 2013 in Budapest the Czech Wrestling Federation could send seven fighters to the competition ( one in freestyle , five in greco and one woman ). The best result achieved Matous Morbitzer with the 16th rank in 66Kg greco . A top ten ranking was not successful.

The biggest international successes of czech wrestlers:

 Jiri Svec – 2. World Champion 1963, WC Bronce 1961
Jiri Kormanik – 2. Olympic Games 1964
Petr Kment – 5 WC Medals between 1965 and 1973
Viteslav Macha – – 1. Olympic Games 1972, 2. Olympic Games 1976,
                          World Champion 1974 and 1977
Josef Krysta – 2. World Champion 1981
Dan Karabin – 2. World Champion 1982,  3. Olympic Games 1980
Jaroslav Zeman – 2. World Champion 1991
Dana Durecova – 3. World Champion 1994
Petr Svela – 3. World Champion 2005
Marek Svec – double Vice  World Champion 1998 and 2006, WC Bronce 2007

National situation
Wrestling clubs are available in all major cities in the Czech Republic. In the capital city of Prague the association's headquarters and also four wrestling clubs are located there. The Federation has seven provincial associations (oblasts) with to a total about 50 wrestling clubs.

The best wrestling clubs in Czech Republic:

Jiskra Havliku Brod
Czech Wrestling Chomutov
Lokomotive Krnov
Olymp Praha (Prague)
Sokol Plzen
Bohemians Praha (Prague)
Hellas Brno
TZ Trinec
SK Sokol Vitkovice
Sokol Hodonin

Czech Wrestlers in the German Bundesliga (Team League)

Petr Svela (Red)                                                                                                          David Vala (Red)

The best known Slovakian Wrestler at the Bundesliga, was in the nineties Jaroslav Zeman (former Vice world champion). He won some titles with his club AC Bavaria Goldbach.
Other famous Athletes like Marec Svec, Petr Svela or David Vala wrestled for different german Bundesliga Teams.

Wrestling Centers in Czech Republik:

Czech Wrestling Federation

Svaz zápasu České republiky

P.O. BOX 40, Zátopkova 100/2, 160 17 Praha 6
tel.: +420 242 429 222
fax: +420 242 429 222
e-mail: zapas@cuscz.cz

Club Links Czech Rep. : http://www.czech-wrestling.cz/www1/Zapas/htm/zapas.htm

Czech Wrestling Clubs (List)

09/2014