Slovenian athletes have returned from Brazil with four medals. Judoka Tina Trstenjak with gold, finn sailor Vasilij Žbogar and kayak slalomist Peter Kauzer with silver, while judoka Ana Velenšek brought a bronze medal. The latter was absent from the ceremony due to health reasons – her injured knee require surgery. Unfortunately, the organisers’ choice of location was a fail – only a few hundred people came to BTC to congratulate the athletes, while several thousand fans had greeted the winter Olympic champions in the centre of Ljubljana in February 2014.

Rest first, plans for the future later
“Head coach Marjan Fabjan prepared me extremely well both physically and mentally. I did not worry about anything myself; I just followed the path to my goal. There were no surprises – I had known from the start how I would walk on the tatami and how I would start my fights… I wanted to reach the end, so I saved my emotions for the end. I’m looking forward to some rest now, and after that I’ll make plans for the future,” Trstenjak explained in her short and concise statement. She has received 20,000 euros from the Olympic Committee of Slovenia (OKS) for her gold achievement.

Kauzer: Doesn’t matter if not on top of podium
“I had known I would be able to win a medal, although I failed as a favourite at the previous Games. In Rio, however, I had everything under control, I dodged all traps between doors in the finals, and I finally got to step on the podium. It doesn’t matter if I was not at the very top,” emphasized Kauzer before receiving a large check as a symbol of OKS’s monetary prize of 17,500 euros for his silver medal.

Žbogar’s emotions still running high
A check of 17,500 euros has also been handed to Žbogar for his third Olympic medal. “I watched my performance in the medal-winning regatta in Rio for the first time today. The emotions are still running high. I had announced these would be my last Olympic Games, which is why I really wanted a medal. I knew I had to do my best. I took sixth place four years ago, at the Games in London, and had a really nice reception after returning home, but I already said to myself back then that I would do all there was in my power to step onto the podium in Rio. I’m a universal sailor, and I’ve proven this. Two days were particularly demanding, with strong winds and waves up to four or five metres in height. For us who are used to the Adriatic Sea, this is not common, it’s very strenuous. I couldn’t walk at times, but I had a great team with me – they managed to prepare me for the races. If that had not been possible, my head would have worked worse due to a tired body, and I would have made much more mistakes. But others erred as well, apparently more than I did.”

Prime Minister Miro Cerar and Minister of Education, Science and Sports Maja Makovec Brenčič also hosted a reception at Podrožnik Villas for the Olympic team.

The prime minister awarded prize money checks to medal winners: Trstenjak, Kauzer, Žbogar, indirectly also to Velenšek, and to their coaches: Marjan Fabjan, Jure Žbogar and Peter Kauzer senior. Trstenjak spoke in the name of the athletes and presented the PM with a gift from Rio – the mascot of the Games. “We would not have been that successful if it weren’t for the team. In addition to athletes, a special recognition goes out to coaches, doctors, physiotherapists and others who were part of the team in Rio,” pointed out Iztok Čop, who led the Slovenian Olympic team in Rio.

T. O., T. J., MMC; translated by K. Z.