Winners of the first-ever Military- and Sport-Themed Olympiad Challenge for school youth announced at TC Lešť
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- Date: 23.06.2025
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In 2025, the Ministry of Defence has organised the Military- and Sport-Themed Olympiad Challenge – a nationwide competition that promotes physical activity and fitness, practical skills, and team spirit among secondary school students – for the first time. Ultimately, the project aims to develop awareness of defence issues in young people in a meaningful contemporary event.
The competition is open to all secondary schoolers regardless of their sporting performance, and tasks are set to allow students at every level – beginners included – to engage. After the competition's regional rounds at secondaries across Slovakia, the best school teams advanced to the grand finale at the Lešť Training Centre on 18-20 June 2025.
Speaking during his in-person visit to the competitors at Lešť, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák remarked: “The Olympiad Challenge is an investment in the young generation’s health, resilience and responsibility. I am pleased that we have managed to organise a pilot competition in which students have tested their physical abilities and have gained new knowledge. I want to thank the entire organisational team, schools, teachers and, of course, you – the students. You have completed several rounds of the competition. I hope you have not only had fun, but have also learned a lot of new things. You are part of a new tradition, which I believe will continue into the future. I congratulate you on completing the Olympiad Challenge and on surprising not only us, but probably also yourselves.”
The Slovak Armed Forces Recruitment Teams joined forces with secondary schools and sports instructors to organise the regional rounds of the competition. Among the secondaries that made it to the finale – which featured marksmanship, an obstacle course, and a knowledge-based defence and security test – were: Secondary Technology and Services Vocational School in Nitra, Secondary Agrotechnical Vocational School in Bernolákovo, Hotel Academy in Liptovský Mikuláš, Joint School in Sečovce, Secondary Trade and Services Vocational School in Trnava, 'František Hanák' Joint Piarist School in Prievidza, and 'Ľudovít Štúr' Grammar School in Zvolen.
Final results:
1st place: 'Ľudovít Štúr' Grammar School in Zvolen
2nd place: 'František Hanák' Joint Piarist School in Prievidza
3rd place: Joint School in Sečovce
The Olympiad Challenge has demonstrated its universal character and openness to all students. After this year's pilot competition, the Ministry of Defence will be proud to carry on this tradition.
The competition is open to all secondary schoolers regardless of their sporting performance, and tasks are set to allow students at every level – beginners included – to engage. After the competition's regional rounds at secondaries across Slovakia, the best school teams advanced to the grand finale at the Lešť Training Centre on 18-20 June 2025.
Speaking during his in-person visit to the competitors at Lešť, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák remarked: “The Olympiad Challenge is an investment in the young generation’s health, resilience and responsibility. I am pleased that we have managed to organise a pilot competition in which students have tested their physical abilities and have gained new knowledge. I want to thank the entire organisational team, schools, teachers and, of course, you – the students. You have completed several rounds of the competition. I hope you have not only had fun, but have also learned a lot of new things. You are part of a new tradition, which I believe will continue into the future. I congratulate you on completing the Olympiad Challenge and on surprising not only us, but probably also yourselves.”
The Slovak Armed Forces Recruitment Teams joined forces with secondary schools and sports instructors to organise the regional rounds of the competition. Among the secondaries that made it to the finale – which featured marksmanship, an obstacle course, and a knowledge-based defence and security test – were: Secondary Technology and Services Vocational School in Nitra, Secondary Agrotechnical Vocational School in Bernolákovo, Hotel Academy in Liptovský Mikuláš, Joint School in Sečovce, Secondary Trade and Services Vocational School in Trnava, 'František Hanák' Joint Piarist School in Prievidza, and 'Ľudovít Štúr' Grammar School in Zvolen.
Final results:
1st place: 'Ľudovít Štúr' Grammar School in Zvolen
2nd place: 'František Hanák' Joint Piarist School in Prievidza
3rd place: Joint School in Sečovce
The Olympiad Challenge has demonstrated its universal character and openness to all students. After this year's pilot competition, the Ministry of Defence will be proud to carry on this tradition.
