Czech Mom’s Second Turin Medal Is Gold

Fatigued and exhilarated, Katerina Neumannova fell across the finish to win one of cross-country’s most grueling races, then found the energy to hoist her young daughter into a celebratory embrace.

Neumannova never wanted to choose between being a parent and her skiing career. She’s having success with both.

The 33-year-old Czech won her country’s first gold of the Turin Games with a victory in the 30-kilometer skate Friday, the final day of women’s Olympic cross-country competition.

She collapsed across the line and raised her poles in triumph while still on the ground. Neumannova eventually got up and quickly retrieved 2-year-old daughter Lucie, dressed in a puffy pink parka and sporting a Czech flag painted on her right cheek.

The toddler travels the world alongside her mother, and that means Neumannova has to be extra organized and rent a bigger room on the road.

“When my daughter was born, I decided she was most important,” Neumannova said. “It’s difficult, but it’s possible. It was not possible to leave my daughter at home, because I travel for skiing. She is always with me.”

Neumannova crossed in 1 hour 22 minutes 25.4 seconds to edge silver medalist Julija Tchepalova of Russia by 1.4 seconds.

Just when it appeared favored Tchepalova and Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk would fight until the finish for the top medal, Neumannova double-poled past them on the right side to add a gold to the silver she won in the 15-kilometer pursuit on the first day.

Neumannova noticed those two skiers in front of her -- who thought they were alone -- then surged through the final stretch.

“She surprised us, I must say,” said 29-year-old Tchepalova, probably competing in her last Olympics. “I’m happy to have a medal, even though it’s silver.... I already have a gold medal, a silver medal and a bronze medal. I like all of them.”

Tchepalova, the Russian star and leader for most of the race, earned her second medal of these Games after taking gold in the 4x5-kilometer relay Saturday. She won the 30-kilometer race in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and might have done so again had it not been for a fall while climbing a hill in the final 10 kilometers.

Kowalczyk’s bronze was Poland’s first medal of the Games.

“I’m very happy with the first medal for the Polish in cross-country,” she said. “I didn’t expect the medal, but I felt very good from the beginning.”

Defending Olympic champion Gabriella Paruzzi of Italy placed fifth and also had a costly fall in the mass-start race.