Metoděj Jílek (CZE) didn’t waste any time entering the senior ranks in speed skating. Last season, the Czech Junior World Champion in Mass Start and 5000m, already won senior World Cup silver and bronze, and this season he leads the long distance World Cup ranking after four events into the season.

“I’ve never seen a young skater as disciplined as him,” his veteran colleague in the Czech team Martina Sáblíková (CZE) said.

Metodej Jilek competes in Men’s 5000m race during day 2 of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Hamar, Norway 2025 ©ISU

Veteran teammate as mentor

Jílek started inline skating at age five and later combined the wheels on tarmac in the summer with blades on ice in the winter. He won a total of five World Junior titles in inline skating.

Coach Kalon Dobbin (NZL) and inline team mate Livio Wenger (SUI) are the most important people in Jílek’s skating career so far, but Sáblíková has been a mentor since the Czech prodigy joined the national senior speed skating team last season. 

The 39-year-old Sáblíková has been around in international speed skating since 2006 and won seven medals [three gold, two silver, two bronze] at the Olympic Winter Games, which is more than any other athlete representing Czechia. With a total of 16 World Single Distance titles and 5 World Allround titles.

Jílek benefits from Sáblíková’s vast experience and is flattered by her compliments about his discipline:

“Yes, of course. Martina is helpful. It’s nice to have someone experienced around. She knows how things are, she’s been training for so many years.” 

What advice does Jílek get from his veteran teammate?

“There are many things, the timing around races, when to go to the track, when toe warm-up, and also for example doping controls and all sorts of things like that.”

Track record in Hamar

Jïlek won a silver medal and two golds in the long distances at the first four World Cups this season. At the fourth World Cup in Hamar, he shaved 2.16s off the track record (6 minutes 9.74s) Sven Kramer (NED) set in 2009.

“I've seen him skate on videos on YouTube, not live back then, I wasn't into speed skating yet,” Jïlek said about the legendary Dutchman.  “It's a very nice feeling to take the track record because it stood for quite a long time. That means a lot.”

Training on inlines

After his success in the first half of the season, Jïlek will return to his inlines for some solid training. He explained: 

“Now we'll have a lot of training camps before Milan to progress even more. I'll be back on inlines during Christmas. I think that will help me quite a lot, because I'm inliner. I will always come back to inlines a bit.”