Date: 23. September 2025
Time to read: 3 min
Slovenia may be small in size, but it has a big sporting heart. Sport is part of our DNA. It shapes our everyday life – from kindergartens and schools to recreation and elite competitions. For Slovenians, movement is natural, an inseparable part of who we are. We identify with sport, we enjoy it, and we feel it as part of our identity. Sport connects us, inspires us, and gives us the courage to push beyond limits.
Our playgrounds and gyms are full of children learning through play. Mountain trails and alpine huts are alive with hikers in summer, while cycling and running paths bustle throughout the year. Sports halls fill with top athletes and recreational players alike, for whom sport is as much about friendship as performance. For Slovenians, movement is a daily celebration – whether it’s a walk in nature, a workout in the gym, or cheering for a favourite team.
This special relationship with sport was formally recognized in 2020, when Slovenia declared 23 September as National Holiday – Slovenian Sports Day. On this day, people across the country put on sneakers, hop on bikes, unroll yoga mats, or dive into the water – each in their own way, but all sharing the same message: sport is in our nature.
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Sport connects us, inspires us, and gives us the courage to push beyond limits. Photo: Dražen Štader/www.slovenia.info
Nature as the greatest playground
Slovenia is a paradise for outdoor activity. The Alps, Karst landscapes, forests, rivers, lakes, and the Adriatic Sea create ideal conditions for sport in every season. In winter we ski, skate, and cross-country ski, while in summer we climb, swim, cycle, and row. Nature is our greatest playground – always close, always open to everyone.
Our hiking trails, cycling routes, running tracks, and long-distance paths attract both locals and visitors. For Slovenians, being active outdoors is not just recreation, it is how we experience our homeland.
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Slovenia is a paradise for outdoor activity. Photo: Ciril Jazbec/www.slovenia.info
Innovation, infrastructure, and events
Slovenia’s sporting DNA is also reflected in innovation. Companies such as Elan, Alpina, and Akrapovič have been shaping global sports trends for decades, developing technologies trusted by athletes worldwide. Many top athletes contribute their expertise to the design of equipment and solutions that push performance further.
The country also boasts excellent sports infrastructure – from national venues to local sports facilities accessible to all. Slovenia is an experienced host of international sporting events: ski competitions in Planica and Kranjska Gora, the Tour of Slovenia and Giro d’Italia, the Ljubljana Marathon, the Franja Marathon, and many others. Bringing together athletes, fans, and organizers, we prove time and again that sport thrives here on every level.
Sport as Slovenia’s ambassador
Athletes are Slovenia’s finest ambassadors. Their achievements showcase the country to the world and strengthen national pride. From legends like Leon Štukelj, Iztok Čop, and Luka Špik to today’s global stars – Luka Dončić, Goran Dragić, Anže Kopitar, Janja Garnbret, Primož Roglič, Tadej Pogačar, Jan Oblak, and Jernej Slivnik – all have carried Slovenia’s name far beyond its borders.
Paralympic athletes are also an important part of this story. Over the past decades, they have won numerous medals, proving that dedication, perseverance, and talent are universal sporting values.
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Slovenia is excellent host of international sports events. Photo: Dražen Štader
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Tour of Slovenia is very popular cycling race in Slovenia. Photo: Vid Ponikvar/www.slovenia.si
Olympic excellence
The pinnacle of achievement is the Olympic Games. Slovenia ranks second in the world in Olympic medals per capita. From Rudolf Cvetko’s first medal in 1912 to recent triumphs in Tokyo, Beijing, and Paris, our Olympic stories shine with courage, discipline, and determination.
Slovenia truly lives sport, from children learning their first movements in kindergartens to champions winning medals on the world’s biggest stage. For us, sport is more than an activity, it is a cultural value that connects, educates, motivates, and proudly represents Slovenia to the world.
