Students clinch medals, pull off hockey sensation

Two years ago, the Czech delegation secured an impressive 12 medals at the Winter World University Games. This year, they returned from Turin, Italy, with a much more modest haul. Silver medals were won by biathletes Petr Hák and Svatava Mikysková in the relay event, while three bronze medals were added by Marek Krčál in the big air skiing discipline, Josef Nagy in ski orienteering, and yet another by biathlete Hák. The most sensational victory, however, came in the women’s ice hockey, which included three students from Charles University.

The women’s team arrived in Turin with ambitions of replicating their bronze medal success from the last Universiade in Lake Placid. However, in the group stage, they decisively defeated teams from the US, Kazakhstan, and Japan, before overcoming Slovakia in the semi-finals. The final against Canada went into overtime, where the Czechs secured a 2-1 victory, celebrating their gold university medals at only their second Universiade appearance! Among the champions were three Charles University students, although only forward Natálie Brichová from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport played in the final. Felow forward, Lucie Eignerová (also the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport), played throughout the tournament but was unable to participate in the final due to injury. Goalkeeper Kateřina Dvořáková (Faculty of Education, CU) was listed as a substitute and played briefly in the match against Kazakhstan.

The men’s ice hockey team also started the tournament well, progressing undefeated through the group stage, which included a strong Canadian team. However, they lost a crucial quarter-final match against Ukraine 3-4 in overtime and subsequently failed to secure fifth place against Kazakhstan. The team featured two Charles University students: David Jindra, leader of the CU Kings Prague hockey team, and his faculty classmate Ondřej Havlín.

Individually, the best performance at the games came from ski mountaineer Filip Matějovič from the Faculty of Medicine in Plzeň, who reached the semi-finals in the sprint event but fell short of making the final six. Nevertheless, he remains a promising talent in the sport, which will debut at the Winter Olympics next year. Unfortunately, his teammate Michal Strejc was hindered by health issues but still managed to reach the quarter-finals in the sprint event.

“Unfortunately, I fell ill at the Universiade and couldn’t perform at my best. I regret that,” the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport student told Forum magazine. However, he remains optimistic about the 2026 Olympics, where ski mountaineering will make its debut. “There is definitely a chance to qualify, but the selection criteria for the sprint event are extremely strict, with only the top six sprinters from the World Cup standings being eligible. There is a better chance in the relay event, but qualification will depend on how the season unfolds.”

Strejc first learned about ski mountaineering from his parents, who actively participate in the sport. “I prefer descents in both training and competitions, though World Cup race courses are very technically demanding. I also enjoy technical uphill climbs on skis. Besides that, I like cycling and adrenaline-fuelled off-piste skiing, where you don’t have to think about anything else, which suits me,” admits Michal Strejc, who started as a swimmer before moving to triathlon under the guidance of Olympic medallist Jan Řehula.

Speed skater Radek Fajkus surprised in Turin by reaching the B final in the 1500-metre event, while his best results in other disciplines were quarter-final finishes (interview here). Alpine skier Marek Müller from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport impressed with a 16th-place finish in the Super-G, while biathlete Eliška Fiedlerová from the Third Faculty of Medicine (3. LF UK) achieved her best result with an 18th place finish in the 12.5-kilometre event, finishing in the top 30 three times. Figure skater Filip Ščerba, also from the Third Faculty of Medicine, barely made it into the top 24 after the short programme and finished 20th in the free skate. An article on Filip Ščerba can be found here.

Cross-country skier Martin Svoboda from the Faculty of Science contributed to a ninth-place finish in the relay and placed in the top 30 in other events. “I see the Universiade as excellent preparation for the upcoming Junior World Championships in Schilpario, Italy, in less than a month. The Olympics next year are, of course, a huge dream, but it will be very tough. I am still in my second year as a junior, so we will see how the transition to the senior category goes,” Svoboda told Forum magazine. His biggest achievements so far include two victories in the Czech Cup and a 19th-place finish at the European FESA Cup.

Charles University Students at the 2025 Winter World University Games