Czech Athlete of the Year: Knapkova Fourth, Synek Ninth

Results of the Czech annual Athlete of Year poll were announced on Wednesday, 21 December in Prague. Rowing has historically scored twice in the Top Ten: fourth place went to the world champion in women's single, Mirka Knapková, while the world vice-champion (and last year's champion) in men's single, Ondřej Synek, finished ninth.

A year ago, Synek even ranked third in the chart based on votes of members of a national sports journalism body.

According to the official website of the Athlete of Year event, the trophy went to women's tennis player Petra Kvitová, followed by men's mountain biker Jaroslav Kulhavý and women's speed skater Martina Sáblíková, respectively. Sáblíková was already crowned the queen of Czech sports in 2007, 2009, and 2010.

The media attention paid to the symbolic peak of the season of Czech athletes has been overshadowed by the current official mourning declared in the Czech Republic due to the death of the country's former president, Václav Havel.