Czechoslovakia was one of the 16 nations to compete at the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France. The team finished without winning a medal. Figure skater Josef Slíva’s fourth place was the team’s best finish. Ice hockey reserve goalkeeper Jaroslav Řezáč was Czechoslovakia’s first flagbearer in the history of the Winter Games.
Men’s 50 km Free (Classic)
The cross country skiing marathon route led through mountain streams and difficult steep climbs. Only 21 competitors of 33 starting completed the race, including all four Czechoslovak skiers.
The only Czech skaters in the Games Josef Slíva excelled in his elegant skating but was under-marked by the Austrian judges which left him in fourth place.
The Czechoslovak team’s nomination was marred by domestic conflicts and animosities towards the club Sparta Praha. Only soldier Josef Maleček was included in the team from Sparta after the Ministry of Defence order, while Karel Káďa Pešek and others stayed at home.
Canada (represented by the Toronto Granites) was supreme in the competition, winning all five matches. It met with Czechoslovakia in the group and smashed it 30-0. Czechoslovakia lost also to Sweden, despite leading in the first period – Stránský allowed four goals shot from long distance. The team then parted with the tournament by beating Switzerland and by finishing in tied fifth place.
With good results in the opening cross country race, the Czechoslovak skiers secured themselves positions only behind the competitors of Nordic countries Norway and Sweden – in fact, Adolf and Buchberger were the only skiers, who managed to beat at least one competitor of these countries (8th-place Jakobsson of Sweden).
Czech Republic (1994–)
Slovakia (1994–)