Olympic gold medalist comes out publicly and reveals 12-year relationship with national teammate
Martina Sáblíková (L) has been in a relationship with Nikola Zdráhalová for 12 years. (Instagram/sablikova_martina)
Martina Sáblíková (L) has been in a relationship with Nikola Zdráhalová for 12 years. (Instagram/sablikova_martina)
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Martina Sáblíková has publicly come out, revealing that she’s been in a long-term relationship with her national teammate.
After 12 years in a same-sex relationship with fellow Czech speedskater Nikola Zdráhalová, Sáblíková has shared a heartfelt social media post revealing their love story.
Martina Sáblíková posted an image of them embracing, and shared: “You guys know I’ve always kept my private life private – and that’s not going to change, because it truly matters to me. But recently, I’ve felt like some people have been trying to speak on my behalf, and it’s become a bit too much.
“So here it is, straight from me: Niky Zdráhalová and I are a couple. She’s been my rock, we’re happy, and we’ve been sharing a beautiful life together for over 12 years. Spread love!”
Comments under the post praise the Olympian for sharing her truth.
One person wrote: “I think we already live in a time when love does not need to be hidden. And the two of you together is such a beautiful symbiosis, understanding and support that you should be an inspiration to many couples of the opposite-sex on what a healthy relationship looks like.”
Another person commented: “It’s your only and only business! Good luck in the coming years.”
Others praised the couple for being in a relationship for more than a decade.
Since the post, Sáblíková has shared an image with Zdráhalová showing the pair cycling, captioned: “With my girl on a bike. 🩷”
There were two out speedskaters at the 2022 Beijing Olympics: Netherlands’ Ireen Wust and Brittany Bowe of the US.
LGBTQ+ rights in Czechia are rated as 68/100 on the tracking site Equaldex. Trans people are allowed to seek gender-affirming care, discrimination is illegal, however, bringing down the overall score is the fact that same-sex adoption is not legal, non-binary identities are not legally recognised and conversion therapy is not banned.
The UK has a score of 69/100, in comparison. The UK’s Equaldex Equality Index score for LGBTQ+ rights has decreased over time, dropping from a high ranking in 2015 to 22nd place in 2025, largely due to an increasingly hostile climate on trans rights.
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