Slovenia is a very special country when it comes to sports. Although it is not common for foreigners to see their athletes at the very top at the Olympic Games, for example, there’s a very good reason for that. The reason why is basically linked to Slovenia’s number of inhabitants per capita, with the country having only about 2 million citizens as of now.
With over 70 medals won, the country is very proud of its athletes and has even created a national holiday – the Day of Slovenian Sport – in order to not only praise its athletes but also to incite its citizens to get somehow involved with any kind of sports across the country.
Over this article, we’re going to be discussing some key things on this very special day for Slovenians, such as:
- Some of the most Successful Slovenian Athletes Abroad
- Olympic Gold Medal Winners
- Where to find the best bookmakers in Slovenia to punt
What is the Day of Slovenian Sport?
The local government has declared that every citizen must celebrate the Day of Slovenian Sport on September 23rd.
As we’ve introduced earlier, the holiday is basically a way the government found to both hail some of the successful athletes Slovenia had in the past, and also to stimulate its population to get involved – even at a beginner level – with any sports in the country.
From the Champions League to the NBA
Some Slovenes have found their sporting opportunity abroad, where they have achieved and are still achieving top results. One of the country’s greatest pride is the well-known NBA superstar Luka Dončić, who showed his talent at a young age, and his intense dedication to basketball paid off, as today he’s a player for Dallas Mavericks.
Doncic is considered to be one of the best basketball players in the world right now, and besides him, it is also worth mentioning another Slovenian, Goran Dragić, who’s another exceptional player in the NBA, and who also contributed many points to the Slovenian national team.
Still, at American sports, there’s Anže Kopitar, who got to play in the NH and in the Olympic Games for Slovenia.
This list wouldn’t be completed if we dared to forget Jan Oblak, Atletico Madrid’s famous goalkeeper. Oblak has managed to play gigantic roles over the years for Atleti, mainly in Europe, with two UCL finals played. Oblak is undoubtedly the best Slovene active football player in the world at the moment, with recent links and nominations to individual awards to best goalkeeper both in Spain and in Europe.
Olympic Gold Medal Winners
Some Slovenian athletes decorated their sports careers by performing at the biggest sporting event. A total of 451 Slovenian athletes took part in the Summer Olympic Games, most of them in athletics. Another 367 athletes performed in the winter games as well with most of them in alpine skiing.
Since its independence in 1991, Slovenia can boast of quite a few Olympic medals – 6 gold, 10 silver, and 18 bronze – a total of 34.
Among the Olympic champions are the already mentioned rowing pair of Luka Špik and Iztok Čop, who recorded their greatest sporting achievement in 2000 in Syndey, Rajmond Debevec shot Slovenia a gold medal the same year. Primož Kozmus became the 2008 Olympic champion in the hammer throw in Beijing, Urška Žolnir in judo 2012. Tina Maze received a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2014, and Tina Trstenjak in Rio in 2016.
We must not forget the three medal winners at the last Olympic Games – silver went to Peter Kauzer (canoe) and Vaslilij Žbogar (sailing), bronze in judo to Anamari Velenšek.
Does the Future of Slovenian Sports Look Bright?
Although we don’t have any specific names to mention right here, we can say that the fate of Slovenian sport is also shaped by many young athletes who have already achieved great competitions and successes. The Olympic Committee of Slovenia states that currently, as many as 7,026 athletes have the status of categorized athletes in Slovenia, many of whom also participate in international competitions.
One such is the European Youth Olympic Festival for athletes aged 15-18. The last one was held in Azerbaijan and was attended by as many as 63 young Slovenian athletes – a total of 3,500 athletes from 50 different countries.
Where can I Place Bets for Slovenian Athletes at the Next Olympic Games?
There are several bookmakers available for those who want to bet on Slovenian athletes during this year’s Olympic games, which will be held in Tokyo.
If you’re experienced in the matter, you’ll certainly have some bookmaker’s names out of the top of your head. If you’re just starting out, though, we recommend you to check the website https://mightytips.si out, as they have great written content on sports betting.
You’ll also find a complete list of bookies, with expert reviews, so you know everything you need before choosing the best bookmaker for you.
So you can find the best place to place your wagers to be able to accompany Slovenia throughout the European qualifiers and, who knows, during the next World Cup.
