From volunteer to Fair Play Award laureate at the Junior and U23 European Swimming Championships
Incredible, perfect, unrepeatable – these were the words used by the international competitors to describe the spectacular event in Šamorín, Slovakia, which comprised two swimming events at the end of June and beginning of July. First, the U23 competitors in the X-Bionic Sphere took part, including our Olympian Tamara Potocká (SVK). She won two valuable medals and made all Slovak fans of this beautiful sport happy. However, all the athletes who went beyond their limits deserve applause.
It was also a pleasure to watch the juniors of the old continent competing. In this category our youngsters did their best and the result was personal bests. At the very end of the championships, Milan Vojtko broke the nine-year-old Slovak record set by Richard Nagy in the 400 m freestyle, becoming the most successful Slovak in Šamorín.
Recognition goes not only to the swimmers themselves, but also to their coaches and parents, who steered them in the right direction. However, the icing on the cake was the organizers of both events, who also went above and beyond to contribute to the championships' excellent outcome. The volunteers, without whom such a race would not have been possible, worked extremely well. Under the leadership of the sympathetic Janka TAHA, the regiment of 'basket makers' who took care of the swimmers and were always on hand, worked like clockwork. They were on duty from early morning until late evening, and they were young schoolchildren who will hopefully become future swimmers. Janka herself created the right atmosphere among them, setting a good example to the children and teaching them many valuable lessons. The organizers of the European Youth Championships therefore rightly proposed rewarding her with the Fair Play Award in the form of a beautiful plaque.
The award was presented during the closing ceremony to Jana Taha by Peter Buček, member of the Executive Committee of the Fair Play Club of the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee, and recipient of the EFPM "Fair Play Vox" Diploma under the patronage of AIPS Europe.
"I am very happy that this important award belongs to our little volunteers, of whom I am very proud, because they really all worked like clockwork", said Jana TAHA just after the award. "Since I live just a short drive from this campus, maybe two minutes away by car, it was no problem for me to spend a wonderful two weeks among great people. There were a total of 30 children and I also admired their enthusiasm at work, which in turn also enriched me. I am grateful for this award and for my charges and we are ready to put our hand to work in the next big swimming competitions", confessed Janka Taha."
21.07.2025
