News from the NOCs -- Czech Republic Names 133 Athletes

Roman Sebrle is men's decathlon world champion after victory at the IAAF worlds in Osaka in September 2007. (www.SPORT-INVEST.cz)Decathlete Aims for Back-to-Back Golds

The Czech Republic’s Olympic Team will be comprised of 133 athletes, slightly less than the 142 members who represented the country in Athens. It has yet to be determined who will be the country’s flag bearer. Frantisek Dvorak, head of the Czech Olympic mission, is supposedly considering four athletes but an official announcement will not be made until the Opening Ceremonies on Aug. 8.

In Athens, Czechs took home eight medals: one gold, three silver and four bronze. Expectations are to roughly earn the same amount this summer.

Leading the way will be defending Olympic decathlon gold medalist, Roman Sebrle. The popular Czech athlete will try to match Bob Mathias (1948 and 1952) and Daley Thompson (1980 and 1984) as the only decathletes to achieve back-to-back gold medals in the event. Additionally, the 33-year-old Czech can become the first-ever to win a medal of any color at three consecutive Olympic Games. Athens Silver Medalist Lenka Smidova and her new partner Lenka Mrzilkova. (www.SPORT-INVEST.cz)

"Yes, I'm aware of this and know it for sure," says Sebrle. "I'm pretty excited about it. It is a big challenge to me. The Olympic Games are for every athlete the biggest competition. Everybody works so hard and nothing can be underestimated. Everyone is going to a competitor."

Sebrle, who had been battling a hamstring injury, appears to be back at 100 percent and is expected to be challenged by American Bryan Clay and Jamaican Maurice Smith.

“Of course, I want to win again. I remember that feeling. It was the best feeling in my life and I want to experience it again," he says. Sebrle is expected to arrive in Beijing on Aug. 10.

The Czech Track and Field team will be made up of 27 members. Barbora Spotakova is a serious medal threat in the women’s javelin and holder of this season’s best throw of 69.15m (226 feet, 10 inches). High Jumpers Tomas Janku and Jaroslav Baba could also contend.

Expect Czech rowers and canoeists to also fare well. Eight-time National Champion rower Ondrej Synek could medal in single sculls while 41-year-old Vaclav Chalupa is competing in a record sixth Olympics. 40-year-old slalom kayaker Stepanka Hilgertova has her sights set on a third Olympic gold.

In sailing, 32-year-old Lenka Smidova, a silver medalist from Athens, once again will take to the waters. However, this time she competes with a partner, 20-year-old Lenka Mrzilkova, in the International 470 class.

Ten tennis players will compete in Beijing including Tomas Berdych and Nicole Vaidisova. Petr Korbel is competing in his fifth Olympics in table tennis. Petr Koukal and Kristina Ludikova will help their country make its first appearance in badminton since Barcelona in 1992.

German Olympic Sport Congress in Berlin

Among the 200 particpants gathered in Berlin for the first German Olympic Sport Congress were athletes, consultants, a new sponsor andseveral Free Tibet partisans. German Olympic committee president Thomas Bach receives protest t-shirts from cyclist Uwe Tromer. (ATR/P.Kreuzer)

GermanOlympic committee president Thomas Bach gave a keynote address at the conference held July 25 and 26. It is supposed to become an annual event.

Bach called on athletes to be good ambassadors for Germany and let their morals match their level of play.

A group of athletes led by cyclist Uwe Tromer came to the Congress to show their views on China and Tibet.

Tromer delivered to German Olympic committee leadership red protest t-shirts with slogans like "Fair Games," "Free Tibet," "Sports for Human Rights," "Celebrate Humanity," and "Free China." Tromer's partners include top-level athletes Dieter Baumann, Heid Schuller and Ines Geipel.

Bach said he is sure that the Olympic Games will open China to the West. He predicted the Games to be a peaceful party for the whole world.

Professor Helmut Digel, a member of the IAAF Council also at the conference, was angry about Games coverage so far.

"The pre-Olympicmedia coverage is spiritless journalism from boneheads," he says.

The UN Special Representative for Sports and Development Willi Lemke agreed that pre-Games journalism is too focused on human rights and Tibet.

"It is wrong to ask the athletes for political statements about Tibet and human rights. That is also the opinion of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon," says Lemke of his boss.

The Congress took place at the Deutsche Telekom office in Berlin, where the telecoms giant and the German Olympic committee announced a new partnership through 2012.

Canada's Flag Continuity

The flatwater kayaker who carried Canada's flag at the Athens 2004 closing ceremony is picking up the pole to do it again at the Aug. 8 opening of the Beijing Olympics. Adam van Koeverden is a K-1 500m champion and 1000m bronze medalist. (Getty Images)

Oakville, Ontario's Adam van Koeverden, winner of gold and bronze medals four years ago, was chosen flag bearer on July 22 by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).

Canada is sending 331 athletes to Beijing, an increase over the 265 that went to Athens. The increase is due, in part, to the qualification of the women's soccer and men's field hockey teams. The number of athletes who will march in the opening ceremony will be far fewer because athletes are either competing the next day or training elsewhere in Asia.

COC president Chris Rudge declined to predict Canada's medal haul, but said the goal is to finish among the top 16 nations.

With reporting from Heinz Peter Kreuzer in Germany, Bob Mackin in Canada and Brian Pinelli in the Czech Republic.

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