Toni Vodišek Wins Silver Olympic Medal in Formula Kite

"Hard work, especially over the last four years, has paid off. We’ve shown that sailors from a small country can compete with the best. First, Andreja Leški brought a gold medal to Koper, and I managed to win silver. Now I can't wait to have some time for myself, for my girlfriend, and for my family," was Toni Vodišek's first reaction, shared with Val 202, a program on the national radio.

In the battle for the Olympic medal, Vodišek had already stood out in the preliminary rounds, leading by two points. He entered the Formula Kite final as the top qualifier. After the preliminaries, a gold medal seemed within reach, but in the final, he was less dominant, and two minor penalties cost him the gold. The 24-year-old from Koper, a world and European champion, was just one point away from winning the gold and overall victory.

"I will come back stronger than ever," Toni Vodišek added.

Vodišek inherited his love for kitesurfing from his father, one of the pioneers of the sport in Slovenia, who also competed with a kite. Toni made his first kiting strides at the age of six. During his childhood, he also tried his hand at skiing, windsurfing, snowboarding, soccer, gymnastics, and water polo, where he was a member of the under-16 national team. This silver medal marks Slovenia’s 30th medal at the Summer Olympic Games.