Only a very select group of athletes ever get to compete in a World Cup on home soil and even fewer are lucky enough to stand on the podium in front of thousands of adoring fans at home. Add Michal Krčmář to that list after his stirring anchor leg secured Czechia an emotional third place in the Nove Mesto Mixed Relay.

Krčmář is no stranger to big biathlon moments in his international biathlon career that spans 17 seasons and 383 World Cup starts He’s won an Olympic Sprint Silver medal in 2018, and last season anchored the same team of Jessica Jislova, Tereza Vobornikova, and Vitezslav Hornig to an IBU WCH Silver medal. Still, the veteran biathlete’s amazing, rousing finish, playing to the crowd on Saturday, followed by podium photos with his team and family was nothing short of priceless!

After Sunday’s Nove Mesto Mass Start where he finished 10th with a single penalty, Krčmář answered our five burning questions and told us how he celebrated Saturday evening.

Biathlonworld: You always anchor the mixed relay, but how were your nerves, waiting to take the tag, knowing you had a chance at the podium?

Michal Krčmář: When you can see that your turn is coming, it really gets to you. And the more legs your teammates were at the front, the more the pressure grows. I was very nervous, but luckily, I managed to shake it off already in the first lap and then I was fully into the race.

BW: How confident were you when you left the standing stage that you could top a guy who was 10 years old when you competed in your first World Cup?

MK: My plan was to leave it for the final climb. I trusted my abilities, but at the same time I definitely didn’t underestimate it. I knew it would be a tough fight. Maxime is not an easy opponent; he’s had a lot of strong competitions this season and also delivered a great individual here. With Maxime and Campbell, there’s a lot of power in the US team, so I stayed very alert and never thought it was decided before the finish.

BW: Where did that huge burst of energy come from on that uphill; did the crowd add an extra dose of adrenalin?

MK: It’s a combination of two things. Since the beginning of January, I’ve been feeling strong in the final laps and able to increase my pace. And then of course, there are the fans…That’s something that really helps your body out there on the track. It gives you a huge extra boost of energy.

BW: Thinking back to the early days of your career, could you have ever imagined seeing crowds of enthusiastic biathlon fans like these watching biathlon in Czechia?

MK: When I started in top-level biathlon, it was already slowly becoming popular here. But as a youth athlete, I still had to explain to people on the train what biathlon actually was. They thought I was cycling and running – that I was doing duathlon. So, for me, crowds like this were absolutely unimaginable. I’m very grateful that I grew up in a time when the sport was still small and not famous. It makes me appreciate and enjoy moments like this even more now.

BW: How much fun was that last few hundred meters, celebrating and playing to the crowd, maybe the most memorable finish in your 383 World Cup starts?

MK: Without a doubt, it was the best finish of my career. Honestly, I was really happy that I managed to decide it already on the final climb and could enjoy the final meters. It’s something I can hardly put into words. That feeling is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life!

Biathlonworld Bonus: Your team has as much fun as any on the World Cup circuit, so how did you celebrate Saturday night?

MK: I celebrated by going home, putting the kids to bed with my wife, then taking a shower and going to sleep as well, so I’d be ready for Sunday’s mass start. I tried to suppress the emotions as much as possible and focus on the next day. The competitions come one after another, so there’s really no other way. I do love Czech beer, but I’ll have to wait until April for that!

With an amazing weekend in Nove Mesto na Morave tucked away in his memory bank, the 35-year-old Krčmář is moving on, heading to his fourth Olympic Winter Games next month and potentially more memorable finish heroics.

Photos: IBU/Svoboda, Yevenko, Nordic Focus