Milan, Italy – As Martina Sáblíková prepares for what is widely expected to be her final Olympic games, the Czech speed skating icon is reflecting on a remarkable career and the emotional weight of potential farewells. With seven Olympic medals – three gold, two silver, and two bronze – Sáblíková enters these Games as a national hero, though she downplays expectations, stating she’s focused on simply competing to the best of her ability. Competition begins Saturday with the 3,000-meter race.
Milan (from our reporter) – Surrounded by journalists, cameras, and photographers, Martina Sáblíková embodies Czech sporting celebrity as she prepares for what is expected to be her final Olympic Games. With seven Olympic medals, including three golds, many are hoping for a triumphant end to her career. “We’ll see if I fall apart or not,” she said modestly. “It seems like everyone else here is incredibly fast, and I’m just kind of plodding along.”
Sáblíková’s competition in Milan begins Saturday with the 3,000-meter race.
Martina Sáblíková has a second home in Collalbo, Italy, and is expected to have strong fan support at the Olympics.Video: Sport.cz
How are you feeling about training?
I’m still getting used to things. The first two training sessions were the hardest, as I had to adjust to the hardness of the ice and the sound it makes. It’s built on wood, so it creates a hollow sound.
Are you focusing more on the 5,000-meter distance or the 3,000-meter race, which is coming up on Saturday?
I don’t know, I didn’t plan it. That was Petr (coach Novák). But yesterday, when I was on my bike, he said it was training for both, so I guess he knows what he’s doing.
Which race do you feel more confident in?
I don’t feel confident in either. I’m going to fight with myself, with the ice, and with the competitors. When I look around, everyone is incredibly fast, and I feel like I’m just plodding along. I can’t predict how it will go. I know, I keep saying that, right? But it’s just one race, it’s not a World Cup event. Here, you’re betting on one card, and we’ll see how it turns out. I’m going there to skate my last races and be happy with them.
But you proved four years ago in Beijing that you can prepare for major competitions. Could that happen again?
I’d really like to say that it will, but I really have no idea. I’m trying not to think about what’s ahead because it feels so restrictive to me. I’m going from training to training, but I don’t know how it will look tomorrow, the day after, right before the race, whether I’ll fall apart or not. I can’t tell you that. And that I have experience? A person can be incredibly nervous before a race, so maybe I can cope better with the pressure to succeed. But I don’t have that pressure now; I have pressure on myself. I know this is my last race, and it’s incredibly difficult to come to terms with the fact that it’s ending.
Do you feel the support of fans who might be shedding a tear while watching you on television?
It’s wonderful and incredible how people are behaving. I never imagined I would experience this. Many people tell me, ‘Go out there, wave, and we’ll always love you.’ That’s what I want to hear. People aren’t ‘expecting’ anything from me, but I expect it from myself. I create that pressure on myself all season long.
Is it difficult to step away from the sport?
It is, terribly difficult! I never imagined it would be like this. I told myself I would skate my last race, wave, maybe shed a few tears. But it’s really hard. I don’t know who I will be without skating; I’ve been doing it since I was eleven years old. I have no idea what my life will look like, what I will do. Petr Čech even wrote to me, people are standing behind me, wanting to help me, but I’m not quite coping with it.
You can’t be at the opening ceremony yourself, but you voted for David Pastrňák as the flag bearer?
I voted! Pastrňák is a total legend, and I’m very happy to see him here because I’ve never seen him in person. I’m looking forward to watching a game, and it’s nice that he’s arriving earlier than the others, so we might get to enjoy him a little differently than when 25 hockey players rush in.
2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina
As one of the most decorated speed skaters in history, Sáblíková’s reflections offer a poignant look at the emotional complexities of athletic retirement. The upcoming Olympic Games represent not only a final competitive stage but also a significant life transition for the athlete, who has dedicated over two decades to the sport.
