DUKLA Banská Bystrica Military Sports Centre presents sports awards to most successful sportsmen and sportswomen of 2019

The DUKLA Banská Bystrica Military Sports Centre (VŠC DUKLA) awarded its most successful sportsmen and sportswomen for their sporting achievements in 2019 during a sports awards gala evening today (4 Feb 2020). Skier Petra Vlhová was named the most successful sportswoman of 2019 in the Military Sports Centre.

Speaking at the gala evening, Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš said: “Undoubtedly, sports connect people. The DUKLA Banská Bystrica Military Sports Centre has military as well as civilian sportspeople in its ranks. But what characterises both groups equally is their desire to represent Slovakia as best as they can. That we can listen to the Slovak national anthem at the other end of the world is an honour for us all and this pleasure is afforded to us solely thanks to you.” He took this opportunity to wish the sports men and women every success in their career.

General Secretary of the SVK Ministry of Defence Ján Hoľko praised last year’s performances of the DUKLA sports men and women. “The results achieved by our sportspeople in 2019 bind both the military sports centre and the MOD to continue to create, to the maximum extent possible, such conditions so that our sportspeople can be fully committed to their training and have everything else provided for. Needless to say, they put their heart into their performances and it is quite visible,” he said.

Director of the DUKLA Banská Bystrica Military Sports Centre Lt Col Roman Benčík highlighted last year’s successes of the DUKLA sports men and women. “We could witness the historic successes of Petra Vlhová in downhill skiing, the success of Anastasiya Kuzmina and that of Michal Martikán and Alexander Slafkovský who defended the World Champion title for the 11th time,” he said. “I am proud of them and I am pleased to announce that we did achieve our main goal of winning 27 medals, because we took home 36 medals from the world top sporting events. I trust this year we will manage to attain another goal – to take home 3 Olympic medals from Tokyo,” he added.

Anastasiya Kuzmina placed 2nd and canoe sprinter Peter Gelle placed 3rd in the Sports Woman / Man of the Year category. Among the top ten best performers were also karateka Ingrida Suchánková, slalom canoeist Alexander Slafkovský, biathlete Paulína Fialková, slalom canoeist Michal Martikán, athlete Martina Hrašnová, as well as members the of the National Sport Shooting Team Patrik Jány and Juraj Tužinský.

Slalom canoeist Jakub Grigar became the most successful junior sportsman. The coach of skier Petra Vlhová won the “Best Coach of the Year” award and the “Collective Performance of the Year” award went to Michal Martikán and Alexander Slafkovský.

During the gala evening, Minister Gajdoš thanked those sportspeople who decided to end their professional sporting career last year.