Slovakia: Romani girl who ran her first race in flats now national silver medalist

Czech news server irozhlas.cz reports that Romani runner Annamária Horváthová has competed at the national level in junior athletics; last weekend she took home the silver medal in the category of the oldest pupils. Her story began two years ago when a photograph of her on the winners' tribunal of a local race captured attention on social media.

In the photo it could be seen that she had won the race wearing ballerina flats, and despite coming from very poor conditions and living in a shack in a Romani settlement in Moldava nad Bodvou, she won the 750 meters, beating more than 400 other competitors. Her talent was then noticed by a local athletics club, which has taken her on and is supporting her financially.

After a year of training she became the best runner in her category in eastern Slovakia. "She's a medium-range runner," Norobert Pecze, chair of the Athletic Legion Club, told the RTVS television channel in Slovakia last year.

"She is currently the best female runner in eastern Slovakia in the older pupils category," Pecze said last July. Thanks to honest preparations and regular training, Annamária Horváthová enjoyed some well-deserved applause last weekend when she received the silver medal from the organizers of the national championship in Slovakia.

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