Sport in Slovenia
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Sport in
Team sports
Association football
The highest level of association football in Slovenia is the
.Basketball
The highest level of basketball in Slovenia is the
Ice hockey
The highest level of ice hockey is the
Handball
Handball is a popular sport in Slovenia. The Slovenia men's national handball team has participated at ten World Championships,[6] and its best achievement is third place at the 2017 Championship.[7] The national team has also made fourteen appearances at the European Championships and was the runner-up of the 2004 edition, which was held in Slovenia.[8]
Rugby union
Rugby union is a growing sport in Slovenia which is governed by Rugby Zveza Slovenije (Rugby Union of Slovenia). The Slovenia national rugby union team is currently ranked 43rd by World Rugby.[10] There are also many active local clubs, including RAK Olimpija, RFC Bezigrad and RK Ljubljana.
Beach volleyball
Slovenia featured national teams in beach volleyball that competed in the women's and men's section at the 2018–2020 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.[11]
Individual sports
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is another popular winter sport in Slovenia. The first national championship was held in 1921 in
Since 2011, the Slovenian men's ski jumping coach is Goran Janus, who has helped revive Slovenian ski jumping results. Under his leadership, the team has many individual wins, earned Olympic and World Cup medals, and set a world record. In 2012, the men's team won their first team event in ski jumping and since then has nine team wins. Furthermore, Peter Prevc won the 2015–2016 Four Hills Tourney, the World Ski-Flying Championship in 2016 and the World Cup title for the 2015–2016 season.
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is a popular sport in Slovenia and dates back to the 17th century, while modern competitive skiing began in the 1920s. During the existence of Yugoslavia, its national skiing squad consisted of almost exclusively Slovenes. In addition, the
Cycling
Cycling has a long tradition in Slovenia. The first cycling club was founded by Germans in Ljubljana in 1885 and the Slovenian Cycling Club was formed two years later. Cycling then spread to other cities, including Gorica and Maribor, and slowly developed into a major competitive sport in Yugoslavia after World War I. Slovenian cyclists were not as successful as cyclists from other parts of the country and in the period between the world wars, Josip Šolar and Bruno Faninger were the only Slovenian cycling champions of Yugoslavia, in 1925 and 1935, respectively. After World War II, Slovenian cycling grew with the formation of clubs such as Rog in Ljubljana, Sava in Kranj and Krka in Novo Mesto.
The Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's three-week-long Grand Tours, has passed through Slovenia seven times in its history: 1922,[14] 1971, 1994, 2001, 2004, 2021, and 2022.[15][16]
Notable cyclists include Borut Božič, Janez Brajkovič, Jure Golčer, Andrej Hauptman, Matej Mugerli, Uroš Murn, Jure Robič, Simon Špilak, Gorazd Štangelj, Tadej Valjavec, Tanja Žakelj, Blaža Klemenčič, Luka Mezgec, Matej Mohorič, Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar. In 2018 Slovenia took more wins on the UCI World Tour per capita than any other nation. Professional cycling teams in Slovenia include the men's teams Ljubljana Gusto Santic and Adria Mobil and formerly the women's team BTC City Ljubljana. In 2019, Roglič became the first Slovenian Grand Tour winner after finishing first in the 2019 Vuelta a España. Pogačar became the first Slovenian to win the Tour de France in 2020.[17][18]
Athletics
Athletics started as a recreation activity in the late 19th century due to the
Biathlon
Biathlon is a growing sport in Slovenia. However, before Slovenia's independence in 1991, it was a mostly unknown sport and Slovenes achieved no major results until the 1990s. In 1992,
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing has, alongside alpine skiing and ski jumping, a long tradition in Slovenia, but competitive success has only come in recent years. The first cross-country competition in Slovenia was organized in Bohinjska Bistrica in 1914. During the existence of Yugoslavia, the best result achieved by a Slovene was Franc Smolej's 10th place finish at the 1936 Winter Olympics. Petra Majdič is the most successful Slovenian cross-country skier, as she has won 24 World Cup races and one Olympic medal. Other notable cross-country skiers include Vesna Fabjan and Katja Višnar.
Motorsport
Motorsport in Slovenia began with the formation of the Ilirija Motorsport Club in 1913 and became popular during the two world wars. ŽSK Hermes built the first motorsport track at
The only woman to have circumnavigated the world on a motorbike is Slovenian
Fencing
The most notable Slovenian fencer is Rudolf Cvetko, who was a member of the Olympic silver medal-winning team in 1912 for Austria. He was the first Slovenian to win an Olympic medal and a promoter of fencing in Yugoslav Slovenia.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics played an important part in the beginnings of sport in Slovenia through a national revival of the Falcon and Hawk societies which helped young Slovenes socialize and keep their language alive. Slovenians would win eight Olympic medals for the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, all in the gymnastics field, which were the only medals Yugoslavia earned prior to World War II. Notable Slovene gymnasts include Leon Štukelj, Mitja Petkovšek, Aljaž Pegan, Stane Derganc, Josip Primožič, Miroslav Cerar, Adela Šajn, Rok Klavora and Sašo Bertoncelj.
Judo
Notable Slovene judo athletes include Urška Žolnir, Lucija Polavder, Raša Sraka, Petra Nareks, Matjaž Ceraj, Anamari Velenšek, Tina Trstenjak, Rok Drakšič and Sašo Jereb.
Sailing
Slovenia has had multiple successful sailors, including Gašper Vinčec and Olympic medalist Vasilij Žbogar.
Standup paddleboarding
Slovenia is a destination for standup paddleboarding due to its coastline, lakes and rivers.[19]
Shooting
The most successful Slovenian sport shooter is
Snowboarding
Notable Slovenian snowboarders include Žan Košir, Rok Marguč, Rok Flander, Dejan Košir and Tim-Kevin Ravnjak.
Swimming
Notable
Tennis
Notable Slovenian tennis players include Grega Žemlja, Tamara Zidanšek, Katarina Srebotnik, Blaž Kavčič, Polona Hercog, Maša Zec Peškirič and Nastja Kolar.
Canoeing and kayaking
Slovenia has won numerous titles in canoeing and kayaking and hosts competitions at Tacen Whitewater Course. The most successful canoeists and kayakers are Peter Kauzer and Benjamin Savšek.
Mountain climbing
Slovenia has a major presence in alpinism, with notable Slovene alpinists including Tomaž Humar, Tomo Česen, Julius Kugy, Jakob Aljaž, Klement Jug, Davo Karničar, Nejc Zaplotnik, Miha Valič, Aljaž Anderle, Viki Grošelj, Pavle Kozje, and Igor Škamperle.
Rowing
Since Slovenia's independence in 1991, rowers have found excellent results in international competition. Notable rower in Slovenia include
.Climbing
Since the mid-2000s Slovenia has had some of the most successful sports climbers in the world, including Mina Markovič and Janja Garnbret who won the overall lead and overall combined titles in multiple consecutive years each. Garnbret also won gold at the first sport climbing competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[20] Other successful athletes are Jernej Kruder, Domen Škofic, Klemen Bečan, Luka Potočar, Gregor Vezonik, Natalija Gros, Martina Čufar, Mia Krampl, Katja Debevec, Lučka Rakovec and Vita Lukan.
Olympics
Slovenia has achieved impressive Olympic success relative to its size, having earned 28 medals (eight gold, nine silver and eleven bronze) at eight
Prior to 1991, Slovenian athletes competed for other countries. The first medal won by an ethnic Slovenian was
Mediterranean Games
Slovenia has competed in the Mediterranean Games since 1993. It is ranked twelfth in the all-time rankings and as of 2016, Slovenia has won 136 medals (40 gold, 39 silver and 57 bronze).
See also
References
- ^ "PrvaLiga" (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ "(FOTO in VIDEO) Sloveniji je uspelo, nogometaši prihodnje leto potujejo na evropsko prvenstvo". Večer (in Slovenian). 20 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ "Košarkarska zveza Slovenije" (in Slovenian). Basketball Federation of Slovenia. Archived from the original on 7 February 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
- ^ "Hokejska zveza Slovenije" (in Slovenian). Hockey Federation of Slovenia official website. Archived from the original on 24 January 2001. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
- ^ ""Prvenstvo elite doma? To bi bilo super! Fenomenalno za naš hokej in za hokej v regiji."" (in Slovenian). Siol. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
...so si risi spet priborili mesto v elitnem razredu, že desetič v zgodovini.
- ^ "Slovenska rokometna reprezentanca desetič na SP". sta.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian Press Agency. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ "Leto, ko Slovencem ni bilo para" (in Slovenian). Siol. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- RTV Slovenija. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Rugby Zveza Slovenije". Retrieved 19 September 2013.
- FIVB. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "50 let Vitranca - od divjega smuka do tekme za svetovni pokal" [50 years of Vitranc - from wild skiing to World Cup]. Radiotelevizija Slovenija (in Slovenian). 1 March 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ "Ilka Štuhec defends downhill title at World Championships". The Slovenia Times. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ Sušnik, Urban (26 May 2022). "Rogliča in Pogačarja ne zahtevajo". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "Inside Slovenia's Astonishing Rise to the Very Top of Cycling". Rouleur. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ^ "Discover Slovenia by SUP". 31 March 2015.
- RTV Slovenija. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "Slovenia – at the olympics – olympic medals and facts". olympiandatabase.com. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ "VANCOUVER 2010".