In the era of state independence, Slovaks won altogether 21 Olympic medals: 20 at the Summer Games (7-8-5) and one (0-1-0) at the Winter Games. Slovakia has gathered 159 Olympic points (Lillehammer 2, Atlanta 24, Nagano 6, Sydney 40, Salt Lake City 2, Athens 38, Torino 9, Beijing 38).

In 1994, SOC approved the candidature of the region Poprad -Tatry for the organisation of OWG 2002. SOC significantly supported also the next Olympic candidature of Poprad-Tatry for WOG 2006. In 1997, together with the candidature committee it created the Olympic Marketing Society s.r.o. for its support that has been active up till now after being transformed into a hundred percent daughter company of SOC. Its endeavour to candidate for the organisation of the Winter Olympic Games made Slovakia and SOC undoubtedly more visible and known.

As a part of the support in the candidature process for WOG 2006, SOC organised winter IV European Youth Olympic Days (EYOD) in 1999. Up till now, it has been the biggest and most important international event organised by SOC. Representations from 40 NOCs of Europe counting 1136 members in total (699 athletes and 437 accompanying persons) participated in winter EYOD in the region Poprad-Tatry in March 6-12, 1999. It included competitions in ice hockey, Alpine and Nordic skiing, biathlon, figure skating and short track. The president of the organizing committee for the event was Mária Mračnová, general secretary was Ladislav Harvan. EYOD 1999 were financially supported by SOC, Ministry of Education, State Fund of Physical Culture and Olympic Solidarity.

OLYMPIC TEAMS OF SLOVAKIA

The most visible activity of SOC is the participation of its teams, delegated and sent by SOC, in Summer (OG) and Olympic Winter Games (OWG). From its origin, SOC successively accepted the invitations of the International Olympic Committees to 1994 OWG in Lillehammer (Norway), 1996 OG in Atlanta (USA), 1998 OWG in Nagano (Japan), 2000 OG in Sydney (Australia), 2002 OWG in Salt Lake City (USA), 2004 OG in Athens (Greece, 2006 OWG in Turin (Italy) and 2008 OG in Beijing (China). At present, the preparations for the participation of Slovak teams in 2010 OWG in Vancouver (Canada) and also in 2012 OG in London (UK) are under way. Slovak athletes won 20 medals in total (7-8-5) during their three participations in OG and only one silver medal in Turin 2006 out of their four participations in WOG.

XVII OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY, 1994

● The biathlete Martina Jašicová and the ice hockey player Peter Šťastný sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians, Peter Šťastný was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Anton Ihring was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION: 42 athletes (34 men + 8 women).

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Biathlete Martina Jašicová in 15 km race and the ice hockey team took sixth places. From ice hockey players Miroslav Šatan became the best goal scorer and Žigmund Pálffy the best scorer of the Olympic tournament.

GAMES OF THE XXVI OLYMPIAD IN ATLANTA, USA, 1996

● The cyclist Lenka Ilavská and the white-water slalom racer Peter Nagy sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians, the wrestler Jozef Lohyňa was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Mária Mračnová was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION: 71 athletes (58 + 13).

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Michal Martikán (white-water slalom) gold medal in C1, Slavomír Kňazovický (flat-water canoeing) silver medal in C1 500 m, Jozef Gönci (sport shooting) bronze medal in free small-bore rifle 60, fifth place in free small-bore rifle 3x40, Jozef Lohyňa (wrestling) fourth place in free-style up to 90 kg, Gabriela Brosková (white-water slalom) fifth place in K1, Vladimír Slamka (sport shooting) sixth place in trap.

XVIII OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN NAGANO, JAPAN, 1998

● The biathlete Soňa Mihoková and the ice hockey player Zdeno Cíger sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians, the cross-country skier Ivan Bátory was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Anton Ihring was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION: 39 athletes (31 + 8), other eight athletes did not start in the competitions.

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: The fourth places were taken by the biathlete Soňa Mihoková in the 15 km race and the biathlon relay to 4x7.5 km in the following composition: Martina Schwarzbacherová-Jašicová, Anna Murínová, Tatiana Kutliková and Soňa Mihoková.

GAMES OF THE XXVII OLYMPIAD IN IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 2000

● The basketball player Zuzana Žirková and the shooter Jozef Gönci sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians, the speed canoeist Slavomír Kňazovický was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Martin Benko was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION: 108 athletes (81 + 27), other four athletes did not start.

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Peter and Pavol Hochschorners (white-water slalom) golden in C2, Martina Moravcová (swimming) silver in 100 m butterfly and 200 m freestyle races, fifth place in 50 m freestyle and 100 freestyle races, Michal Martikán (white-water slalom) silver in C1, Juraj Minčík (white-water slalom) bronze in C1, Elena Kaliská (white-water slalom) fourth in K1, Richard Riszdorfer, Juraj Tarr, Erik Vlček, Róbert Erban (flat-water canoeing) members of the fourth K4 to 1000 m, Slavomir Kňazovický (flat-water canoeing) fifth in v C1 to 500 m, Dominik Hrbatý, Karol Kučera (tennis) in the quarterfinals of doubles, Michal Riszdorfer, Juraj Bača (flat-water canoeing) sixth in K2 to 1000 m, Jaroslav Jeřábek, Peter Bazálik, Jan Lepka (track cycling), members of the sixth team in the Olympic sprint.

XIX OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN SALT LAKE CITY, USA, 2002

● The biathlete Soňa Mihoková and the cross-country skier Ivan Bátory sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians, the ice hockey player Róbert Petrovický was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Július Dubovský was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION: 49 athletes (37 + 12), another athlete did not start.

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: The only point-awarded place was achieved by the 4x7.5 km biathlon relay, composed of Martina Jašicová, Anna Murínová, Marcela Pavkovčeková and Soňa Mihoková, that finished fifth.

GAMES OF THE XXVIII OLYMPIAD IN ATHENS, GREECE, 2004

● The shooter Andrea Stranovská and the weightlifter Martin Tešovič sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians, the white-water slalom racer Michal Martikán was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Vladimír Miller was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION: 64 athletes (48 + 16).

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Peter and Pavol Hochschorners (white-water slalom) gold in C2, Elena Kaliská (white-water slalom) gold in K1, Michal Martikán (white-water slalom) silver in C1, Jozef Krnáč (judo) silver up to 66 kg, Jozef Gönci (sport shooting) bronze in air rifle 60 and fourth in free small-bore rifle 60, Juraj Bača, Michal Riszdorfer, Richard Riszdorfer, Erik Vlček (flat-water canoeing) members of the third K4 in 1000 m race, Marcela Erbanová (flat-water canoeing) fifth in K1 in 500 m race, Martina Moravcová (swimming) sixth in 100 m butterfly race.

XX OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN TORINO, ITALY, 2006

● The biathlete Martina Halinarová-Jašicová and the handicapped biathlete Vladimir Gajdičiar sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians and Paralympians, the sledger in luge Walter Marx jr. was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Igor Nemeček was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION OF ATHLETES FROM THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC: 58 athletes (46 + 12), one other athlete did not start.

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Historical silver medal - first from OWG for the independent Slovakia - was won in boardercross race by the snowboarder Radoslav Židek. The biathlete Marek Matiaško in 20 km race and the ice hockey team achieved further two point-awarded placings by their fifth places.

GAMES OF THE XXIX OLYMPIAD IN BEIJING, CHINA, 2008

● The windsurfer Patrik Pollák and artstic gymnast Ivana Kováčová sworn the Olympic oath in the name of the Slovak Olympians, the white-water kayaker Elena Kaliská was the flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. Vladimír Miller was the Head of Mission.

● PARTICIPATION OF ATHLETES FROM THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC: 57 athletes (35 + 22), one other athlete did not start.

● BEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Three gold medals of four possible were reached in the white-water canoeing by Slovak thanks Peter and Pavol Hochschorners (the third consecutive triumph in C2), Elena Kaliská (successful defender of the gold in K1 women) and Michal Martikán (after 12 years again Olympic champion in C1). The silver medals were won by the K4 squad Michal Riszdorfer, Richard Riszdorfer, Erik Vlček and Juraj Tarr in flat-water kayaking (1000 m) and by shooter Zuzana Štefečekova in trap. The bronze added freestaly wrestler David Musuľbes under 120 kg. Shooter Pavol Kopp placed fourth in free pistol and athlete Libor Charfreitag sixth in hammer throw.

SLOVAK TEAMS ON EYOD/EYOF (participation and medallists)

SUMMER

I BRUSSELS 1991 (The Slovaks started in the framework of the team of CSFR): 1. Martin Hromec - tennis, singles.

II VALKENSWAARD 1993 (15 Slovak athletes in 6 sports): 1. Tomáš Halva - athletics, javelin, 2. Barbora Zahnová - tennis, singles, 3. Dominik Hrbatý- Barbora Zahnová - tennis, mixed doubles.

III BATH 1995 (31 Slovak athletes in 6 sports): 1. Boris Vazovan - athletics, 400 m hurdles, 1. Miriam Bobková - athletics, 100 m hurdles, 2. Miriam Mašeková - athletics, 800 m, 3. Handball team of girls (Palatická, Bernátová, Glankovičová, Jursíková, Ličková, Cínová, Korecová, Kuchtová, Hrabovská, Miháliková, Múčková, Uhliarová), 3. Viktor Jurák - swimming, 100 m butterfly, 3. Viktor Jurák - swimming, 200 m butterfly

IV LISBON 1997 (39 Slovak athletes in 5 sports): 1. Basketball team of girls (Majkráková, Kozmonová, Borovičková, Gáborová, Klasová, Kyselová, Lásková, V. Libičová, Madajová, Mračnová, Petriková, S. Borčinová), 1. Julia Svobodová - swimming, 100 m backstroke

V ESBJERG 1999 (35 Slovak athletes in 8 sports): 3. Matej Jurčo - cycling, road race

VI MURCIA 2001 (29 Slovak athletes in 6 sports): 3. Basketball team of girls (Luptáková, Homolová, Michulková, Furková, Szijjártóová, Ivanová, Kupčíková, Kloudová, Gulová, Kubátová, Pavlovičová, Stantienová), 3. Tamara Kopecká - athletics, 400 m, 3. Jozef Pelikán - athletics, 800 m, 3. Ján Majdán - judo, up to 66 kg.

VII PARIS 2003 (38 Slovak athletes in 7 events): 1. Basketball team of girls (Čižmárová, Vyňuchalová, Hrabáková, Karnayová, Egedová, Kollárová, Rohová, Gatialová, Ružičková, Gazdaricová, Slotová, Carnoká), 1. Jozef Repčík - athletics, 800 m, 3. Michaela Margócziová - athletics, discus.

VIII LIGNANO 2005 (49 Slovak athletes in 6 sports): 3. Katarína Čarná - judo, do 63 kg, 3. Klaudia Boczová - tennis, singles, 3. Andrej Martin, Klaudia Boczová - tennis, mixed doubles.

IX BEOGRAD 2007 (54 Slovak athletes in 8 sports): 1. Alexandra Štuková - athletics, 400 m, 2. Katarína Listopadová - swimming, 200 m medley race, 2. Roman Turčáni - athletics, 400 m, 2. Barbora Balážová - table tennis, singles, 2. Barbora Balážová, Alžbeta Danová - table tennis, doubles, 3. Dana Čížková - athletics, pole-vault, 3. Jakub Figeľ, Alzbeta Danová - table tennis, mixed doubles, 3. Jakub Figeľ, David Karas - table tennis, doubles.

WINTER

I AOSTA 1993 (Slovaks started in the framework of the CSFR team): 3. Martin Bajčičák - cross-country skiing

II ANDORRA LA VELLA 1995 (13 Slovak athletes in 3 sports): no medal.

III SUNDSVALL 1997 (36 Slovak athletes in 5 sports): 3. Combined 5.2 km biathlon relay (Reguly, Haazová, Timko, Valenčinová).

IV POPRAD-TATRAS 1999 (58 Slovak athletes in 6 sports): 1. Combined 4x5 km biathlon relay (D. Šimočko, Slezákova, Hasillová, Matej Kazár).

V VUOKATTI 2001 (39 Slovak athletes in 5 sports): no medal.

VI BLED 2003 (24 Slovak athletes in 6 sports): no medal.

VII MONTHEY 2005 (37 Slovak athletes in 7 sports): 3. Combined 4x5 km cross-country ski relay (Otčenáš, Garajová, Janečko, Blaškova).

VIII JACA 2007 (42 Slovak athletes in 7 sports): no medal.

IX BESKYDY-SLASK 2009 (44 Slovak athletes in 7 sports): no medal.