Olympic Videos & Pictures

[hckošice 13,267]

41 minutes ago, hckošice said:

NOC will tomorrow celebrate 30 years of its existence  

 

The 19th December 1992, exactly 13 days before the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic.

 

Small opportunity to look at the short but interesting history of my country´s Olympic journey

 

The new country first appearance under the 5 rings was 1 year after its establishment. In Lillehammer 1994

 

We were represented by 42 athletes,

Although we Did not win any medal, we managed to earn 2 Olympic points for two 6th places, The first point ever was achieved by Biathlete Martina Jašicová in the W 15km Individual, the other one was grabbed by the Ice Hockey team...

 

which originally was not even supposed to be there, After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Some idiots in the international federation decided that the successor country will be ONLY the Czech Republic. Slovakia despite the popularity of the sport and well established great players was moved down to the world "C" Division, which was taken here as a huge insult and humiliation.... Slovakia was not even invited for the Olympics Qualifiers. Our NOC, Hockey Federation, Governement and some legends including Peter Štastný who returned from Canadian defection started an unprecedented "Lobby" war everywhere it was necessary, even at the UN and we succeeded, IOC and LIHG (IIHF predecessor) agreed to take us a chance at the Final Olympic qualifier in Sheffield.

 

History know, we won this tournament and won the only available ticket for Lillehammer. and there we won the preliminary group ahead of and , sadly lost the unforgettable Quarterfinal in the very last 10th minute of Overtime to . Ended 6th.

 

But despite not winning the medal, we succeeded to expose the whole LIHG in front of the whole world for the wrong they committed against us.

 

PS: Slovakia entered the world Top division in the shortest time possible,

2 years later after destroying the fields in the "C" Division after the Olympics 1994 and the next year also the "B" Division in 1995. And then...Since its first participation among the Elite in 1996 Slovakia was never relegated from the Top division

 

 

First ever Olympic Appearance (1994 Lillehammer) represented 42 athletes, Flag bearer the legendary Peter Šťastný, who represented 3 countries in his career, Czechoslovakia, after his defection in the 70s Canada where he became one of the best world players in history of this sport, and almost at his 40 after the fall of communism, he returned back to his homeland and led the new Slovakia in its first international hockey major campaign

 

 

25th July 1996, Independent Slovakia won its first Olympic Medal.

Shooter Jozef Gonci took Bronze in the Rifle Prone event

 

 

and after the first Winter came also the First Summer Olympics appearance of the country. In Atlanta 1996.

 

The games where Slovakia managed to win its first medals (Including the first ever independent Slovak Olympic Champion).

 

The 25th Jule 1996, in the Rifle Prone Shooting Jozef Gonci won Bronze medal and became the first Olympic medalist of the new nation.

 

2 days later the 16 years old rookie Michal Martikán won Gold in the Canoeing Slalom M C1 event at the Ocoee river, who would have guessed this kid will win 4 more medals at the next consevutive 4 Olympic Games.

 

The very last day of the Games, Slovakia won its last 3rd medal of Atlanta 96. Slavomír Kňazovický earned Silver in the Canoeing Sprint C1-500 meters.

 

First Olympic Champion

Michal Martikán at 16, won Gold in the Canoeing Slalom C1

and started his crazy Olympic journey which continued by Silver in 2000, Silver in 2004, Gold in 2008 and Bronze in 2012.

He is still active and dream about Paris 2024 btw

Edited December 18, 2022 by hckošice

[hckošice 13,267]

and it is today. 30 Years of existence of Slovak NOC time for the final part of the recap

 

 

During this period, competed at 15 Olympic Games (7 Summer & 8 Winter Olympics)

 

From the 15 Olympics our teams returned home with medals from 12 of them.

We won medals at every Summer Olympics so far, while in the Winter edition we had to wait to our 4th participation in Torino to win the first one, but since then we won medal at every next edition as well.

 

won during this period in total 42 olympic medals (14-18-10)

32 at Summer Olympics (10-14-8) and 10 at Winter Games (4-4-2)

 

 

In 2000 Sydney, Slovakia had the largest Olympic team in its history. 117 athletes

especially thanks to 3 different Team sports (M Football, W Basketball & M Water Polo), it is still the only time SVK qualified in a team sport and immediately with 3 of them...

Paradoxically at the Winetr Olympics, Slovakia participated in a team sport at every edition with M Ice Hockey, In Vancouver they were joined also with the Women team

 

The most successful athelets at the Olympics are

 

Anastasiya Kuzmina (Biathlon) with 6 medals (3-3-0) , the only biathelete in the world to win 3 individual gold medals at 3 consecutive WOG

 

followed by the Hochschorner twins Peter & Pavol, 3 times consecutive Olympic champions in Canoe Slalom M C2, they also have a bronze from London

 

Followed by Michal Martikán (Canoeing Slalom 2-2-1), Elena Kaliská (Canoeing Slalom 2-0-0) and Zuzana Rehák Štefečeková (Shooting Trap 1-2-0)

Other multiple medalists are Erik Vlček (Canoeing Sprint 0-2-2 all in K4), Martina Moravcová (Swimming 0-2-0 first Slovak female athlete to win an Olympic medal for Slovakia), Juraj Tarr (Canoeing Sprint 0-2-0), Michal Riszdorfer, Richard Riszdorfer and Denis Myšák (all Canoeing Sprint 0-1-1), and shooter Jozef Gӧnci (0-0-2)

 

The only time Slovakia won 2 medals in 1 event. Sydney 2000 M C1 (Silver Michal Martikán, Bronze Juraj Minčík) something we are no more able to repeat, because of 1 boat per cpountry nonsense rule

Edited December 19, 2022 by hckošice

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All Usain Bolt races from Beijing 2008

 

 

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Beijing 2008 cycling road race

 

 

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What a game that was!

 

LTU vs USA - M Basketball semifinal

 

 

[hckošice 13,267]

The oldest living Olympian (also the oldest living Olympic medalist) and ((also the oldest living Olympic champion)) Ján Zachara is today celebrating his 95th anniversary.

 

Happy Birthday Mr. Zachara

 

 

a very rare picture released in our NOC website capturing Zachara on the highest march of the podium in Helsinki 1952

Photo: Archive of SOŠM

 

 

and even rarest footage

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by hckošice

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One of the biggest emotions in my olympic-watching history.

 

Torino 2006. Biathlon, M mass start. Tomasz Sikora vs Michael Greis vs Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. That was sth.

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one of my first Olympic memories. Andrzej Gołota in Seoul. A very oldschool video, somehow funny after all these years

[OlympicsFan 783]