Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Nikola Čorbová makes history in the Himalayas
Slovak athlete Nikola Čorbová has achieved a groundbreaking victory at one of the world’s toughest triathlons — the Himalayan Xtri in Nepal. Competing in the extreme conditions of the world's highest mountain range, she became the first woman to win the overall race, beating all male and female participants. With a finishing time of 17 hours and 8 minutes to cover more than 200 kilometres of swimming, cycling and running, she also set a new course record, the Pravda daily reported.
Her emotional finish near the sacred peaks of Machapuchare and Annapurna, marked by a symbolic bell ringing, was a powerful moment in endurance sports. Čorbová’s success not only showcased her incredible physical and mental strength but also broke barriers for women competing in extreme triathlon events. As she wrote: “I felt like I had wings… WE won!”
New rehabilitation centre for injured wildlife to be built in Bratislava
Visitors to the Bratislava Zoo near the boar enclosure. (source: TASR)
Bratislava will soon get a new rehabilitation centre for injured animals, thanks to a joint project by the Slovak State Nature Conservancy, the City of Bratislava, and the Bratislava Zoo. The facility will be built on a 1.36-hectare site next to the zoo and will care for injured wildlife from across the region.
Bratislava sees the highest number of injured protected animals in Slovakia, yet until now has had no dedicated centre for their treatment. The new station will include treatment rooms, aviaries, enclosures and ponds, and will be accessed separately from the zoo to ensure animal isolation.
Funded by EU resources, the project aims to help animals recover and return to the wild — a big step forward for nature protection in and around the capital.
Bratislava’s largest market blended charity and goulash for a good cause
Segedínsky guláš, creamy Slovak sauerkraut stew. (source: Naomi Hužovičová)
At Miletička, Bratislava’s largest open-air market – named after its location on Miletičova Street – twelve teams recently took part in a charity goulash cooking championship, the third in three years. The event, judged by a celebrity panel, aimed to raise funds for miniBodka, a children’s home supporting traumatised children who have lost their parents.
Organiser Nikita Slovák emphasized the charitable purpose, and Milan Daniel from miniBodka described their role as a “replacement family” providing therapeutic care. Next week, the spirit of giving continues – with a sweet twist – as the market hosts "Pečie celá Miletička," a charity baking event.
Some feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator for you to enjoy:
Paris leads, Bratislava trails: European cities ranked on safe travel for children.
From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice's Peace Marathon rose to prominence.
Eugen Rosenberg helped shape post-war Britain with landmark buildings across the UK. Yet his most intimate creation stands quietly in a small Slovak town.
A short drive from Kúty, golfers will find a course set among sand dunes and quiet woodland.
Meme of the week
Caption: An average day in a Slovak hospital.
If MP Peter Kotlár can discuss virology, in which he has no education, then why not staff hospitals with pigeons?
Recently, the Council of the Regional Medical Chambers (RLK) in Banská Bystrica joined the stance of hundreds of health-care workers from three Banská Bystrica hospitals who have publicly expressed their disagreement with the activities of Kotlár, who as well as being the government's official plenipotentiary for reviewing the management and allocation of resources during the Covid-19 pandemic is also a prominent ant-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist.
You can send me your tips for good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: kseniia.husieva@spectator.sk. Thank you!
