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The Slovenians can proudly look back on their Olympic heritage. From 1912 to 1998 over 600 Slovenian athletes took part in the Summer and Winter Olympics. The very first Slovenian ever to participate in the Games was also the first Slovenian Olympic medal winner - Rudolf Cvetko, who received silver as member of the Austrian sabre team in Stockholm 1912.

The most outstanding Slovenian Olympic achievements were performed by their gymnasts, who received a total of 11 medals, five of them gold. Leon Stukelj, a triple. Olympic champion (overall and horizontal bar in 1924, rings in 1928), was the most successful member of the legendary Sokol gymnastic team, after World War II Miroslav Cerar added two gold medals on the pommel horse.

At Winter Olympics the former Yugoslavia was represented almost exclusively by the Slovenians, who consider skiing their national sports. In 1984 and 1988 our skiers claimed four medals in Alpine skiing and ski jumping.

In 1992, Slovenian athletes finally entered the magnificient history of the Olympic Games under the name and national symbols of their home country. First athletes to receive Olympic medals under the Slovenian flag were rowers from Bled, who won two bronze medals in Barcelona.

At Winter Games in Lillehammer in 1994 Alenka Dovzan, Katja Koren and Jure Kosir claimed three bronze medals in Alpine Skiing.

In 1996, Andraz Vehovar and Brigita Bukovec, at Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta received two silver medals in Canoe/Kajak-Slalom and Athletics.

During the years of Olympic participation, Slovenia has won 23 Olympic medals, 18 captured by Slovenians in individual events and 5 by teams with Slovenian members only. Additionally to that 11 Slovenian captured 12 Olympic medals as members of Austrian and Yugoslav national squads in team events.

Leon Stukelj, the best Slovene Olympic champion and the oldest living olympic gold medal winner was celebrating his 100-th birthday on November 12, 1998 in his natie town of Novo mesto. The gymnastic academy "AVE TRIUMPHATOR" was attended by president of IOC Juan Antonio Sammaranch and by all Slovene officials, including president Milan Kucan.