71 athletes nominated for the World University Games in Chengdu

The Executive Committee of the Slovak University Sports Association at its meeting on Wednesday 21 June approved the nomination of athletes for the FISU World University Games in Chengdu, China. The harmony of sports performance and university education is a prerequisite for representation at one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, where athletes from 120 countries will meet. The Slovak university team at the 31st summer edition of the Universiade will consist of 103 members – 71 athletes and a 32-member implementation team of coaches, physiotherapists and masseurs.

“I am delighted with the nominations in sports like athletics, shooting and gymnastics. We definitely have candidates who will compete for valuable metals,” said the head of the Slovak university team Peter Hamaj. Our sprint ace Ján Volko, who is studying at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, and a student from the Faculty of Education at the University of Constantine the Philosopher in Nitra, will also travel to Chengdu, China, as well as a student from the Department of Sport and Recreation

Viktória Forster, but there is also a chance for top places for example for our female 20 km walkers in the team competition composed of Ema Hačundová, Alžbeta Ragasová and Hana Buzalová. Along with athletics, the men’s water polo team and the women’s basketball team are among the most numerous. Our shooters also have chances for medal placements, as at the last World University Games in Naples, Italy, in 2019, it was thanks to shooting that we won a complete medal set (1-1-2). Slovakia will be represented by 5 shooters “Our shooters will go to China with medal ambitions,” said Ivan Horciak from the Slovak Rifle Association. “Šulek – Kyselová have a chance in the mix and in the team competitions the trio of Fabo, Copák and Mitra will shoot both air pistol and smallbore. In addition, Marek Copák, who reached the 8-man final in rapid fire pistol at both the European and World Championships last year, will surely be aiming for the top positions in the individual competition as well.”

Barbora Mokošová, a student at Comenius University in Bratislava and a double Olympian at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, will be a mainstay of the Slovak University team. “My biggest challenge at university was combining my studies and professional sport,” said the graduate of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport. “An interesting feature of our team is definitely diver Zora Opalka, who lives and studies at the American University of Denver, but thanks to her parents from Slovakia she has our citizenship. We will be represented in the water jumping from the tower, and you won’t find a single regular diving tower in Slovakia,” said Peter Hamaj.

Slovakia will be represented in 15 of the 18 sports on the programme of the FISU World University Games Chengdu 2021. Of the sports on the programme of the 31st FISU World University Games, only volleyball, modern gymnastics and the Chinese martial art of wushu will not be on the programme.”

For the complete composition of the Slovak team, please visit:

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