by Jaroslav Stanek

Lumir was not only an excellent sportsman, he was an all round sportsman.

As teenager he had played top level ice hockey for the Slavia Prague club; when his ice hockey career finished, he turned his attentions to table tennis. In 1986 he participated in the Veteran European Championship for first time; later in 2002 he won his first men’s singles title; at the time he was 75 years old.

True to his character, he practised every day; three times he secured the men’s singles title at a World Championships, five times at the European Championships.

In 2018, his aim was to win gold in Las Vegas; he came very close. After beating Sheng Tan-Tsu of the United States in the semi-finals of the men’s singles 90 years and over (11-7, 11-2, 11-4) he lost narrowly in the final to China’s Chen Tongning (5-11, 11-9, 12-10, 4-11, 11-8).

My dear Lumir, thank you for all you did for our graceful and athletic sport. You stay in our minds as an outstanding role model for others to follow; never forgotten.