Prague, Jan 2 (IANS): At least 83 athletes will represent the Czech Republic competing at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, which is to start Feb 7, said spokesman for the Czech Olympic Committee (COV) Alexander Kliment.

"This is slightly fewer than we expected. But the curling team did not unfortunately succeed in qualification," Kliment said.

The list of athletes comprises 25 hockey players, three figure skaters (two men and one woman), four speed skaters, nine cross-country skiers, seven Alpine skiers, six aerobatics skiers, five ski jumpers, four Nordic combine skiers, ten biathlonists (5 5), and six snowboarders.

Downhill skier Sarka Strachova will be the Czech standard bearer. She will be the third woman after speed skater Martina Sablikova (Turin, 2006), and kayaker Stepanka Hilgertova (Beijing 2008) to play this role since the independent of Czech Republic in 1993.

The final nominations of athletes will be done Jan 16, and the first group of the athletes will fly to Russia Jan 30.