Jumping For Joy

A HOME-ICE VICTORY BY CZECHIA HAD FANS LITERALLY SHAKING THE ARENA IN PRAGUE

BY CAROL SCHRAM

“WHOEVER DOESN’T JUMP ISN’T Czech. Jump, jump, jump!” That’s the English translation of the chant that accompanies the bouncing frenzy that Czech hockey fans whip up during games. The capacity of Prague’s O2 Arena is just over 17,000. When everyone inside is jumping, Prague-based sports journalist Luke Fisher says the earth literally moves. “If you’re on the top tier, you can definitely feel it shake,” he said. On May 26, the Czechs’ 2-0 World Championship win over Switzerland in the gold-medal game could have brought the roof down once and for all. To say the fans were fired up would be a massive understatement. A Prague resident for the past seven years, Fisher said the official fan zone outside the arena began filling up by early afternoon on gold-medal day – hours ahead…

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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Champions Issue 2024

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