Accomplished Slovak swimmer Martina Moravcová beams after winning her third gold medal at the short-course World Swimming Championships in Hong Kong. The 23-year-old now holds 23 international swimming medals. See story, page 6.photo: TASR
Slovak swimmer and "super-fish" Martina Moracová, 23, dominated the short-course World Swimming Championships in Hong Kong April 3 and 4, winning three gold medals and setting a new European record in the 200 meter individual relay.
The stunning performance matched that of another set of Slovak athletes half-way around the world. At the Davis Cup tennis tournament in Sweden, the Slovak men's team, led by Slovak's number one player Karol Kučera, eliminated the Swedish defending champions in the tournament's first round, thus turning an unlucky first round draw into a display of Slovak talent.
Moracová, who was named Slovak athlete of the year in 1993, 1995, and 1998, now holds 23 world competition medals and 70 Slovak championship golds. Her Easter weekend performance brought her victory in the 200 meter freestyle, the 200 meter individual medley, and the 100m individual medley races. She also won one fourth place 100m freestyle competition. Her time of 1:56.11 minutes in the 200m medley broke a European record and landed her a spot .76 seconds behind the six-year-old world record of American Allison Wagner.
Slovak Karol Kučera is congratulated after his big win in Sweden.photo: TASR
In Sweden, the Slovak tennis team pushed to win the tournament after a disappointing early loss in the men's doubles match. In the top-ranked singles match Sunday afternoon, Kučera beat Sweden's Thomas Enqvist in four sets, 1:6, 6:3, 6:2, 6:4, thus giving the Slovak team the three points it needed to win the tournament. The Slovak team will face Russia in the second round.
