sports
March 8, 2026
After 23 years of competition: Emotional farewell of legendary speed skater Martina Sablikova
After 23 years of competition in which she won five world championship titles, three Olympic golds, and hundreds of medals at the World Cup, World Championships, and European Championships, the legendary Czech Martina Sablikova (39) retired from competition on Saturday.
TL;DR
- Martina Sablikova, a 39-year-old Czech speed skater, retired after 23 years of competition.
- Her career highlights include five world titles, three Olympic golds, and hundreds of other medals.
- Her final race was an emotional event, marked by ovations from the audience and a heartfelt message from her coach.
- Sablikova described her last race as the easiest and most beautiful, allowing her to compete and smile.
- She recently revealed she is gay and has been in a relationship with fellow speed skater Nikola Ždralova for 12 years.
Continue reading the original article