Fencer Jakub Jurka, a student of the UP Faculty of Physical Culture (FPC), was dubbed a national hero after winning a bronze medal as part of the Czech fencing team at the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris in a remarkable performance against the home favourites, taking home the first Olympic medal by the Czech team.
The match could not have been more important to them. “We told ourselves that no matter what happens, this is the greatest experience of our lives, because we are fencing the French on their home turf, before their public. For an Olympic medal – no matter if gold, silver, or bronze!” the youngest of the bronze-winning Czech fencers told Sport.cz. It was his second Olympic appearance. In 2021, he took part in the Tokyo Olympics which were affected by COVID-19.
Although in 2021 the fencers did not make it into the second round, in 2024 they are returning to the Czech Republic accompanied by the applause of their fans. Jurka was given a hero’s welcome not only at the Olympic festival in Most, but also home in Olomouc, when he showed his medal to the crowds on the Upper Square – where UP Rector Martin Procházka and Svatopluk Horák of UP FPC personally congratulated the fencer on his success and thanked him for representing the country and university.
Other athletes connected with Palacký University represented the Czech Republic in Paris. Impressive performances in rowing were given by fellow alumni Radka Novotníková from the Faculty of Arts (finishing in 10th place), and Miroslav Vraštil of UP FPC (6th place), the latter making his fourth appearance at the Olympic Games.
Experiencing the Olympic atmosphere for the first time were judoka Renata Zachová and archer Adam Li, both FPC students. While neither made it into the medal rounds, the fact that they fought the world’s best remains unchanged.