Slovakia| Population: | 5,447,502 |
|---|---|
| Area: | 18,859 sq. miles |
| Location: | Europe |
| Capital: | Bratislava |
| Major Cities: | Kosice |
| Language(s): | Slovak |
| Winter Olympic Debut: | 1994 |
Anastasiya Kuzmina won a silver medal in the women's mass start event at the 2009 World Championships and on Day 2 of the Vancouver Games, won Slovakia's first gold medal at the Winter Olympics in the women's 7.5km sprint.
2006 silver medalist Radoslav Zidek has not competed since September 2008 due to injury, and his participation in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games is not known at this time.
Slovakia will have both men's and women's hockey teams in Vancouver with the men, led by Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa, likely to make the quarterfinals. Younger brother Marcel will join Marian on the team while their father, Frantisek, will serve as assistant coach. The women, as the eighth and last seed in the tournament, are a long shot to make it out of the preliminary round.
Images of the Parade of Nations at the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Images of the U.S. delegation at the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 12.
