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Zvizej chosen as ambassador for first Slovenia Sports Day

18 Sep. 2020

Zvizej chosen as ambassador for first Slovenia Sports Day

On 23 September, the European Week of Sport begins, and for Slovenia that day also marks a new special celebration, as the annual Slovenia Sports Day will be introduced. Former national handball player Luka Zvizej has been chosen as the ambassador for the first celebration of Slovenia Sports Day. 

“Sport was and still is my way of life. My favourite sports prop has always been a ball,” said Zvizej in the first promotional video released by the Slovenian Olympic Committee. “What are your favourite sports props? Be active, be healthy and celebrate together.”

Zvizej played for Slovenia for 15 years and holds the record for most goals scored in the national jersey with 702. He played 217 matches for Slovenia, second only to Uros Zorman. Zvizej’s biggest achievement with Slovenia was reaching the semi-finals at the 2013 IHF Men’s World Championship, where the team ultimately ranked fourth after being defeated by Croatia in the bronze-medal match.

2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the first time the Slovenian national anthem was played at the Olympic Games. On 23 September 2000, rowers Iztok Čop and Luka Špik and shooter Rajmond Debevec clinched the countries’ first Olympic gold medals – and that is why 23 September, which happens to coincide with the start of the European Week of Sports, was chosen as the ideal date for Slovenia Sports Day. 

The Sydney 2000 Olympics were also the first Games the Slovenia men’s handball team participated in. There, they ranked eighth. The team have reached two more Olympic Games since then – Athens 2004 and Rio 2016, the latter of which saw their best finish ever, as the team placed sixth after qualifying for the quarter-finals. 

Slovenia will also fight for a place at the 2020 Olympic Games, to be held next year. The team earned a place at the 2020 IHF Tokyo Handball Qualification Tournaments and also a ticket to the 2021 IHF Men’s World Championship in Egypt based on their semi-final appearance at the EHF EURO 2020 at the start of the year.

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Zvizej has played more than 200 games for Slovenia.

 
The first Slovenia Sports Day will see a multitude of activities and organised events taking place throughout the country.

“Let this be a day when every Slovene man and woman expresses their attitude towards sports with their physical activity, an attitude towards that social activity that has many positive effects: strengthens health, educates, promotes positive values and connects Slovenia,” states the official website for Slovenia Sports Day. 

More information on the Slovenia national handball teams is available on the federation website