Speed skating-Czech teenager Jilek outclasses strong field to take 10,000m gold

MILAN, Feb 13 : Czech teenager Metodej Jilek produced the race of his life to beat a powerful field and seize 10,000 metres gold on Friday, delivering the Czech Republic their first speed skating title of these Winter Olympics.

Jilek was joined on the podium by Poland's Vladimir Semirunniy, who claimed silver, while Dutchman Jorrit Bergsma took bronze.

Nineteen-year-old Jilek, who won bronze in the 10,000m at the 2025 ISU World Speed Skating Single Distances Championships, clocked 12 minutes 33.43 seconds to finish 5.65 seconds clear of Semirunniy, underlining his emergence as one of the sport's most exciting prospects.

"I feel incredible," Jilek said. "This gold medal represents all the training I've been doing for years - everything I've been working towards. It's amazing.

"I knew even before I came to the Olympics that I could do really well in the 10,000m, that I could win it. It was just a matter of doing the lap times.

"I've done thousands of these lap times throughout the summer so I knew what it feels like, what I have to do. It was just about dialling it in."

His victory made him the Czech Republic's second Olympic champion of these Games, following Zuzana Maderova's triumph in the women's parallel giant slalom on Sunday.

It also marked the nation's second speed skating medal in Milano Cortina, after Jilek claimed silver in the 5,000m on Sunday.

Competing in his first Olympics, Jilek faced a stacked field that included newly crowned 5,000m Olympic champion Sander Eitrem, France's Timothy Loubineaud, Semirunniy, and 10,000m world record holder Davide Ghiotto of Italy - all considered strong contenders after standout World Cup campaigns.

"Honestly, I wasn't even that nervous before the race," Jilek added.

"The only thing I