Viktória Zapletalová, Slovakia's 2025 Sportswoman of the Year and bronze medalist from the 2025 World Championships in the 400-meter hurdles, did not compete in the semifinal round of her event. The Slovak athlete had qualified for the semifinals after finishing sixth overall in Friday's preliminary heats with a time of 51.70 seconds. No reason was given for her withdrawal from the semifinal competition.
Australian swimmer Cameron McEvoy set a new world record in the men's 50-meter freestyle at a swimming competition in Shenzhen, China. McEvoy clocked a time that improved the previous record by three hundredths of a second, surpassing the mark of 20.91 seconds that had been held by Brazilian swimmer Cesar Cielo since December 2009. The breakthrough performance caps a 15-year reign by Cielo's record, marking a significant milestone in sprint swimming where marginal improvements at the world record level are exceptionally rare.
Slovak judoka Tománek placed seventh at the Grand Slam tournament in Tbilisi, Georgia. In his opening round match, Tománek faced a challenging opponent from Germany, Luke Cabecana, taking the bout into golden score overtime. The Slovak representative secured victory after two minutes and four seconds of extra time with a wazaari scoring technique.
Turkey has announced its squad for the upcoming playoff match against Slovakia, with half the players coming from the Turkish Süper Lig. If Slovakia advances to face Turkey, it would mark the seventh meeting in history between the two national teams, their fifth competitive match, and their first encounter since February 2012.
The New York Islanders are planning to relocate their minor league affiliate team to Canada. If the NHL team receives approval, their farm team, currently known as the Bridgeport Islanders, would play their games at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. The Bridgeport Islanders currently serve as the developmental team for the New York Islanders' prospects and younger players in the American Hockey League system.
Humenné has secured a spot in the promotion playoff for the Tipsport Liga, Slovakia's premier ice hockey league. In the second semifinal series, Skalica defeated Levice 6-1 to take a 3-2 series lead. The Tipsport Liga represents the highest level of professional hockey in Slovakia, with teams competing for promotion from lower divisions through playoff series.
Olympique Lyon was knocked out in the round of 16 after losing 2-0 to Spanish side Celta Vigo. The French club had home advantage for the decisive match following a 1-1 draw in the first leg last week, but failed to capitalize on playing in front of their own supporters. The defeat ends Lyon's European campaign for this season.
Žilina has taken a commanding 2-0 lead in their quarterfinal playoff series against Poprad in Slovak ice hockey competition. Poprad started the second game strongly, taking an early lead in the 6th minute through a goal by Tomáš Török, but Žilina ultimately prevailed to extend their series advantage. The teams are competing in the quarterfinal round of Slovakia's top hockey league playoffs, with Žilina now just two wins away from advancing to the semifinals.
Žilina hockey team defeated HK Poprad 4-1 in their latest Slovak hockey league match. Poprad started the game strongly and took an early lead in the 6th minute through a goal by Tomáš Török. However, Žilina rallied to score four unanswered goals and secure a convincing victory over their opponents.
Slovak football club Olomouc was eliminated from European competition after losing 0-2 to Mainz in their round of 16 second-leg match. The Slovak team went into the game as underdogs and their situation worsened when defender Péter Baráth received a second yellow card and was sent off while already trailing 1-0. The defeat ended Olomouc's European campaign for this season.
Pardubice defeated Brno 8-4 in their playoff series, with Slovak player Kelemen contributing to the victory, giving Pardubice a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. In other Czech hockey league action, Sparta Prague suffered a setback after winning their opening game, losing 0-2 to Škoda Plzeň on the road.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is likely to miss both quarter-final matches against Bayern Munich due to injury. Coach Alvaro Arbeloa was forced to substitute Courtois at halftime during a recent match. The Belgian goalkeeper's absence would be a significant blow to Real Madrid's Champions League campaign, as they prepare for the crucial two-legged tie against the German champions.
France coach Didier Deschamps has announced his squad for upcoming international friendlies against Brazil and Colombia, with star forward Kylian Mbappé included in the selection. The squad also features Hugo Ekitike from Liverpool and Rayan Cherki from Manchester City, indicating Deschamps' continued integration of emerging talent alongside established players. The friendlies will serve as preparation matches for France as they continue building toward future competitive tournaments.
Hockey pucks from Olympic tournaments will be donated to the Hall of Fame in Toronto. Hughes recently told ESPN that he wants to give a puck to his father Jim. The donation represents a contribution to one of hockey's most prestigious institutions, which preserves the sport's history and honors its greatest players and moments.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has declined Milwaukee Bucks management's suggestion to shut down his season early despite missing a career-high 32 games due to injuries this season. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player has no intention of ending his campaign prematurely, indicating his desire to continue playing through the remainder of the season despite the significant time he has already missed due to various injuries.
Tottenham Hotspur defeated Atletico Madrid in their Europa League return leg match, ending an eight-game winless streak across all competitions. The victory marked a significant turnaround for Spurs, who had struggled with form in recent weeks. Atletico's squad included Slovak defender Norbert Gyömbér, known by his nickname Hanko. Following the match, Tottenham manager praised the team's improvement, stating "We got better."
Slovakia's national football team is preparing for crucial World Cup qualifying matches while dealing with complications from the ongoing Middle East crisis. The team faces two playoff matches that could secure their spot in the 2025 FIFA World Cup, scheduled for June 11-July 19. Slovakia will first play Kosovo on March 26 in Bratislava, and if successful, will face either Turkey or Romania on March 31, also in Bratislava. The team's preparation has been affected by the regional crisis, with reports that some players considered leaving and coach Francesco Calzona reportedly took shelter during security incidents. The qualifying campaign represents Slovakia's attempt to reach their first World Cup since 2010, when they famously reached the Round of 16.
Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovský reflected on his Olympic performance, particularly remembering a notable play where he deked around Leon Draisaitl in the Olympic quarterfinal before suffering a hard hit from Moritz Seider that impacted his tournament. The Slovak player, who scored eight points during the Olympics, expressed hope to improve that total to eighteen in future competitions. Slafkovský has struggled in his first two games with Montreal this season, prompting coach Martin St. Louis to move him away from linemates Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov. The 20-year-old forward was Montreal's first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and represents Slovakia's brightest hockey prospect, making his Olympic performance and current NHL struggles significant for both his development and Slovak hockey fans.
Slovak defender Dávid Hancko scored for Atlético Madrid in their Champions League round of 16 second leg match against Tottenham Hotspur in London. Despite losing the match 3-2, the Spanish club advanced to the quarter-finals on aggregate score. Atlético Madrid, one of Spain's top football clubs and a regular Champions League competitor, secured their progression to the next round of Europe's premier club competition despite the away defeat at Tottenham's stadium.
Austrian biathlete Hauserová announced she will end her career following the current season. The 2021 world champion claimed gold at the World Championships in Pokljuka, Slovenia, where she triumphed in the mass start event. Her retirement marks the end of a successful international biathlon career that reached its pinnacle with her world championship victory three years ago.