(Editor’s note: On my last visit to Prague a few years ago, I bought, at a mountaineering store, a map of the mountains outside the city. I look forward to seeing the slopes that Jiri Raska flew over. My apologies for not having inflection marks over his name.)
NOVY JICIN, Czech Republic – There was some sad news yesterday in the world of Czech sport, the famous and legendary ski jumper Jiří Raška passed away at the age of 71 following a long battle with illness.
Jiří Raška was the first Czech to ever win a gold medal at the winter Olympics – his gold medal at the 1968 winter Olympics in Grenoble was a landmark success and defining moment for the career of Jiří. He also went on to win a silver medal in the large hill event in Grenoble, being beaten by his rival from the Soviet Union Valdimir Beloussov.
Such was the popularity of Jiří there were over 100,000 spectators on hand to watch him compete in the 1970 Nordic World Ski Championships, he placed second in the large hill ski event. Other successes included a bronze medal in the first ever Ski-Flying World Championships and a fifth place finish in the 1972 winter Olympics.
Jiří decided to quit competitive skiing in 1976 when he realized he could no longer compete at the top level, so he turned his hand to coaching and coached the Czech juniors throughout the 1990′s and the Czech Ski Union elected him as the Czech Skier of the Century.
His teammates and colleagues described Jiří as a “mentally tough” and whilst he might not have been as talented as some of his rivals “He was extremely precise and honest. That makes him a great jumper,” said his companion Dalibor Motejlek.
The Czech Republic has truely lost a great sportsman and personality. RIP Jiří.
(This story appeared in The Prague Post on Jan. 23, 2012.)
Died and Yet ... 