Slovenia at the Olympics
Slovenian athletes first participated at the Summer Olympic Games in 1912 as part of the Austrian contingent. At those Games, fencer Rudolf Cvetko earned the distinction of being the first Slovenian athlete to win an Olympic medal when he captured the silver in the team saber event. Slovenian athletes competed as a part of Yugoslavia from 1920 up to 1988, winning many medals. The nation of Slovenia was formed with the split up of Yugoslavia in 1991, as was also Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro. Slovenian athletes first competed under the Slovenia banner at the Olympic Games in 1992.
The most revered Slovenian athlete during the pre-war era was Leon Štukelj who captured five Olympic medals (2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze) while competing for Yugoslavia, while Miroslav Cerar is considered to be the best Slovene athlete during the post-war period as he captured four medals (3 silver and 1 bronze).
Competing as an independent nation, the first gold medal for Slovenia was won by Rajmond Debevec in the 50m 3 position Small-Bore Rifle event in Sydney 2000. The pair Luka Špik and Iztok Čop also won gold on the same day in the men's double sculls rowing event.
Trivia
- Rudolf Cvetko was the first Slovenian to win an Olympic medal; he came second in fencing at the 1912 Summer Olympic Games in Stockholm
- Prior to the World War II, all of the medals won by Yugoslavia came from Slovenian gymnasts except for Croat Dragutin Ciotti who was part of the all-around team.
- Jamaican Track and field athlete Merlene Ottey competed at the Olympics seven times between 1980 and 2004. In her first six appearances, she represented Jamaica, the seventh time she represented Slovenia.
Related Pages
- Slovenia at the Winter Olympics
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- About sport in Slovenia
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