BRNO (Czechia) - Former Czechia star and leader Eva Viteckova might be experiencing deja vu as the countdown continues to the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2025 in Brno.
Back at the 2001 edition, the free-scoring forward was part of the Czechia team that sparked a celebration party for the ages by taking hosts Czechia to silverware on home soil. Having made countless memories in a stellar career at the elite level, even to this day, her U19 experience is something that Viteckova still cherishes dearly.
She recalled: "It was amazing that we played at home, here in Czechia - in front of our family, friends, and teammates. Playing at home didn’t put pressure on us. Instead, it gave us motivation.
I said, 'Gold' and many journalists laughed. In the end, we won
"I remember back in 2001, we had a press conference before the event and I was asked how we would finish. I said, 'Gold' and many journalists laughed at me and thought I was being too bold. But we had confidence, we believed we could do it, and we went for it. In the end, we won the title."
"But I have to say, we fully realizes that winning gold was also thanks to playing in Czechia. If the tournament had been held somewhere else in the world, we might not have won the title without the incredible support of our fans. "The home atmosphere was like our sixth player and we took full advantage of it and especially in the Final against Russia. In the last few minutes, we managed to turn around an almost impossible situation and win," continued Viteckova. "It was incredible, and I have to say we probably celebrated the best afterwards at the hotel nearby. I have to admit, we Czechs know how to celebrate." After her success at youth level, Viteckova continued on an upward trajectory.
The sooner they start playing in the national team jersey, the better for their future.
She eventually became a three-time Olympian, made the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Final on home soil, won the FIBA Women's EuroBasket and was also crowned a EuroLeague Women champion too. Having helped to conduct the recent draw for the 2025 edition, Viteckova is adamant that the opportunity to step out in the event is a huge boost for any player. "Here in Czechia, I think it is very important," she underlined. "The sooner they start playing in the national team jersey, the better for their future when they play for the senior national team. They can only benefit from it, because they won’t be surprised later when they travel abroad for different tournaments. They won’t be overwhelmed by how things work." "I remember when we went to the Olympics, it was also a huge change for us because we had never experienced being away for such a long time. Every experience, every game, every minute played in the national team jersey is crucial. It’s the best thing for a player."
Finally, whether Czechia can realistically emulate Viteckova and Co on home soil in the competition is open for debate, but there is no doubt that having a dream is the starting point. Viteckova had gold on her mind and is encouraging all athletes to step out in Brno in search of the maximum possible success. She said: "First of all, I want to congratulate them all because qualifying for a FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup is already a huge achievement. "I wish them lots of luck and encourage them to set the highest goals. They should believe in themselves and in their team." FIBA