Bailer

Time for more personal and detailed predictions: will have it hard this time. I'm trying to stay realistic about our chances. We're not going there as favorites in most events, and deep down I know it would be a big surprise if we suddenly overperformed or even dominated. Still, sports have a beautiful way of ignoring expectations. We're never predicted to do amazingly well at either edition of the Olympics, so I’m desperately hoping for moments that will stay with everyone in the country for years, whether it's a final that keeps people glued to their screens or a performance that will make us proud. Just one medal could mean so much. It would bring real emotions and something to cheer for to a country that isn’t going through its best period right now. And on the rare occasion of a hockey miracle, celebrations in the streets wouldn't be an oddity. It all comes down to four sports, the rest are out of reach: Alpine Skiing is a big mystery, and it will all come down to Petra, whether she'll compete and eventually shock everyone with a heroic result. That's the best-case scenario. Biathlon can be the dark horse, you never know how things turn around. The women's relay is probably our biggest chance, but all four of them need to deliver great performances. As for Ice Hockey, our national sport, I'll always believe in another fairytale. I'll always believe we'll pull off a miracle. Since I wasn't alive yet when we won gold at the World Championships, I can only resort to watching old videos and imagine how amazing it must have been to watch as your country is the champion of the world in something. Best on the planet. Even the silver years later was amazing, but I was too young to actually remember it, so it's time for another hockey euphoria in the country. Ski Mountaineering is a bit overlooked in the media right now, but I believe we have a huge chance of winning a medal in one of the events. Our athletes aren't minnows. We're a small country, still relatively young. There's not much we're known for in the world, but sports are a perfect way to build a national identity, to stop people from thinking you're still part of a state that ceased to exist decades ago. Doing well in sports is one of the few things these lesser-known countries can show off, not just the ones in Europe. I'm desperately hoping for a medal, and we all want those two weeks of the Olympics to be amazing and full of unforgettable moments.

Gratulujeme! @Jan Linha @stepansevs

The crowd in Czechia is amazing in every sport!

Vivat Slovakia But in all seriousness, it's been repeatedly stated how important it is to qualify in a team event for the next Summer Olympics. However, I have no idea if we even have a realistic chance. We only have one fewer individual athlete competing this year than we did in Paris, so individual quota spots aren't the main issue. Where can we find a competitive team, like we do in hockey? Maybe the women's handball team could start something big, but that's still far in the future, very likely unachievable in just two years. And to be clear, as horrific as our medal tally from Paris looked, those were some of the unluckiest Olympics for Slovakia I have ever seen. Finishing in the top six seven times (!) is absolutely insane.

I really hope Nordic Combined doesn't get scrapped. Actually, I believe the Winter Olympics should keep growing with new sports and disciplines (3x3 Hockey, Ice Cross, Speed Skiing, Ice Climbing), otherwise they won't feel like a true celebration of sports like their summer counterpart.

Another quick fact, Slovakia will be represented in 11 sports, the most ever!

Interesting to note, Estonia will most likely send 34 athletes, the largest delegation ever for the country!

https://www.facebook.com/lidlslovensko/posts/ďa-ku-jeme-chalani-že-si-celé-slovensko-môže-vychutnať-vaše-zaslúžené-víťazstvo️/1008097938150672/

Any kind of medal would be huge, I won't complain even if it's just one. I'm just glad we're sending more athletes than last time, which means we're not continuing the trend of our team size getting smaller every four years.

I mean, isn't Jagerčíková possible? I think we have a chance in that sport. Anything else, especially hockey, would be a pleasant surprise. It would be an amazing surprise. The country would turn upside down.

Oops, didn't see this. Dude, you're definitely not the only one. I'm dreaming of something like that since last summer. We're all hoping for a hockey miracle!

Is Kelly Sildaru competing?

And since was forgotten, it's definitely Ski Mountaineering, followed by a miracle in Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, or Ice Hockey.

Still no intro or theme music available? What am I supposed to listen to?

It's on the website now!

Broadcasting in Slovakia: The public broadcaster RTVS holds the rights to show the Olympic Games in the country. As in previous years, viewers can expect 24-hour coverage on RTVS Šport, a dedicated sports channel. A wide range of events across all sports will be broadcast, with special attention given to those featuring Slovak athletes, particularly those with the highest chances of success. Additional content will also be available via online streaming, accessible only within Slovak territory.

What a bummer. Did everyone else confirm their spots?

Individual results: 1. Emma Zapletalová (athletics) 2. Stanislav Lobotka (football) 3. Dávid Hancko (football) 4. Zuzana Rehák Štefečeková (shooting) 5. Viktória Chladoňová (cycling) 6. Juraj Slafkovský (ice hockey) 7. Zuzana Paňková (canoeing) 8. Martin Fehérváry (ice hockey) 9. Tajmuraz Salkazanov (wrestling) 10. Adam Hagara (figure skating)

Very well deserved! At the end of the ceremony, the hosts mentioned that every female winner has won an Olympic medal. It’s time to expand that list!

If the calculations are correct, we will have more athletes than four years ago! What a special moment of not constantly sending smaller delegations each time.

Personal votes: Poland (12 points) Ireland (11 points) Ukraine (10 points) Italy (9 points) Canada (8 points) Sweden (7 points) Indonesia (6 points) Greece (5 points) Kazakhstan (4 points) Romania (3 points) Mexico (2 points) United States (1 point) China (1st Reserve) Albania (2nd Reserve) Great Britain (3rd Reserve)

Fantastic contest. Already looking forward to the next one!

Only three juries left!

Ugh, we're doing so bad (positively jinxing for more points).