You may have watched the World Cup in Falun and noticed the name Jiří Tuž, which you might not have heard before. The young athlete performed excellently in the sprint qualification and went on to beat big names like Pellegrino, Chanavat, and others in the subsequent heats. He made it to the final, finishing in fifth place. Read an interesting interview with this Czech hopeful.

Jiří Tuž was born on November 23, 2004, in Frýdlant. He was introduced to sports by his father, who was involved in various activities such as swimming, triathlon, running, and skiing. Jiří enjoyed sports and showed talent from a young age. At 13, he decided to focus solely on cross-country skiing and gave up other sports.

He started as a skier at Ski Club Jablonec nad Nisou and, since 2021, has been competing for TJ Dukla Liberec under the guidance of Zbyněk Valoušek. Since last year, he has been training under Czech national team head coach Jan Franc, and he is satisfied with the collaboration.

Biggest Achievements

In March 2022, he won a silver medal at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Vuokatti, Finland, in the 7.5 km classical race. He has competed in the junior championships three times, having raced in Lygna (Norway), Whistler (Canada), and Planica (Slovenia). This year, he made his debut in the U23 category in Schilpario, Italy. Last year, he finished 7th in the sprint in Planica, and this year, he claimed 4th place in the older category, also in the sprint.

Two weeks ago, he achieved his best result so far in the World Cup, finishing 5th in the sprint with classical technique in Falun, Sweden.

You can find Jiří’s complete results here.

You’re having great results in sprints this year. Do you consider yourself a sprinter, or do you excel in other types of races as well?

“This year, sprints are working out better for me than distance races. Honestly, it’s quite a mystery for me; I train as an all-rounder. I want to perform well in everything, but the distance races haven’t been working out for me at all this year. I’m not sure why; maybe the surgery for my appendicitis last autumn had an impact.In the future, I definitely don’t want to focus only on sprints. I want to compete in everything and do everything very well. Of course, we’ll see how things progress. My sprint results this year are very good, and I’m very happy with them,” he says to Bezky.net.

What do you think has contributed to your fantastic season?

“I wouldn’t exactly say it’s been a fantastic season. I’ve had two very good results, but when I look at the whole season, the first part of the World Cup was a total disaster for me. Then, I raced in FESA Cups and Czech Cups, which were average or below average. After that, I started to pick up in France and Switzerland in the World Cup and then came the U23 World Championships and the World Cup in Falun, which were my best results so far. So, I see an improving trend. Now, I’m hoping that the improvement will continue through the rest of the season.”

At the recent U23 World Championships, you were 4th. That must have been frustrating, right?

“Of course, a medal would have been nicer, but what’s more important for me is that the training and work I’ve been putting in are heading in the right direction, and I believe that sooner or later, I’ll get that medal, either from the U23 World Championships or from a big World Championship. I hope it’s just a matter of time. I believe the work we’re doing and the support we have is excellent, and I have the potential to achieve something big.”

That sounds good. And how do you feel about the 5th place in the World Cup sprint in Falun?

“It was a big surprise. Just a good race. I really enjoyed that day, and even now, I don’t know how to comment on it. I just raced and did what I enjoy. The course suited me. I felt good, and everything just came together. It was a great day. I really enjoyed it there. And I’m more happy about the experience than excited about the 5th place in the race.”

What was going through your mind as you advanced further and stood next to the biggest stars? Did you have any respect for them?

“When I started in the semifinal and stood next to Pellegrino, Chanavat, and other really big names, I had respect for them. But during the race, I realized that they’re just people too, not aliens who always win. I felt good, and then I felt even better, and realizing that they’re just people who might not be having a good day, and that I could have a good day, definitely helped boost my confidence.”

Do you know what you’ll race at the World Championships in Trondheim?

“I should definitely race the sprint. I hope the team sprint with Michal Novák or Luděk Šeller will work out as well. I’m still not sure what everyone will race, how we’ll be doing, and which races will be a priority for each person. I might also race the relay. Of course, I’ll prepare for the races as best I can and hope for the best.”

Do you prefer classical technique or skating?

“If I had to choose between skate or classic, I’d definitely choose classic. I feel stronger in it, and I also enjoy it more. But as far as overall technique work goes, Ragnar (note: Norwegian Ragnar Bragvin Andresen has been helping the Czech national team with technique for several years) has been a big help. I’ve been working with him for just a year, but the training with him is really enjoyable, and I feel like I’ve made significant progress.”

We have seen a few of your training videos, and it seems like you really enjoy skiing. What do you like about cross-country skiing as a sport?

“For sure. Skiing is something I really enjoy. Spending time outdoors and enjoying the challenge is great. I enjoy being outdoors, I enjoy working, and improving in the one thing I’m good at. I also enjoy the variability, that in a race, many things play a role, whether it’s skis, form, or the conditions we’re racing in. Every race is completely different.”

Read More: Cross-country skiing program for the Trondheim World Championships