ITF

26 HELENA SUKOVA Czechoslovakia I played three. I played the '88 in Seoul, the '92 in Barcelona and Atlanta was my last one. Yeah, it was exciting, something new because then we could see all the other athletes in the Village or competing. Now I'm very happy to have the silver medals – but in those years we [with Jana Novotna] wanted to win the gold. In Seoul, I had some problems with my leg, so I couldn't really move much. I played the singles but could not move, but I had to finish the singles because if you defaulted in the singles you couldn't play the doubles and we had a very good chance to win the gold. At the end we were two points away from the gold so I was very disappointed. I remember when I came back to my room I threw the medal into the corner disappointed. Well, it's better to have the silvers than having none. And being at the Olympics I was able to become a part of the Olympic family. From February 2001 until November 2008 I served on the Presidium of the Czech Olympians' Club and was there with all the gold medallists from athletics, other sports like ice hockey, so that was very interesting for me. And in June 2007 I was appointed by the Czech Olympic Committee to the Presidium of the Czech Fair Play Club. Since I stopped my tennis career I've got involved in many ways. And if I hadn't been at the Olympics I could not have joined those. When I go to events or do charity stuff always one of the first things announcers or organisers mention about my career is that I have the two silver medals. But the main part is that I have more friends from a variety of sports since. I remember how difficult dealings were done to put tennis back into the Olympics. How much effort was made by the ITF, many meetings between the President of the IOC Mr Samaranch and ITF President Mr Chatrier. I was even present at one of the meetings where my father Mr Cyril Suk, who was President of the Czechoslovak Tennis Association at the time, had a meeting with Mr Samaranch in Prague discussing the rules etc. preparing the possibilities for tennis to be back on the Olympic list as a regular sport. I have an interesting memory from the first one. Some pupils from my high school were on the basketball team of Czechoslovakia. When they saw me in the Village they were like, "Oh, you are in the Village? How come? We thought you were going to stay in a hotel." And I said, "Why would we stay in a hotel? We are happy to be among everyone." That was interesting, the reaction from the others. But we stayed in the same place – I think there were two buildings with Czechoslovak athletes in Seoul, and the tennis players stayed in one big apartment together. It was an interesting experience. I have my medals at home in a showcase. Sometimes organisers ask you if I would bring them to show at events, but I don't do that because I don't want to get them stolen. I really want to make sure that they're safe. My mom's medal from the 1962 Wimbledon singles final got stolen like this at some exhibition so I am not taking any chances. * * Czechoslovakia competed between 1920 and 1992 Now I'm very happy to have the silver medals – but in those years we wanted to win the gold.

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