Emma Zapletalová loses mother

Slovak athlete Emma Zapletalová has lost her mother, Miroslava, who was a significant source of support throughout her sporting career. The news was confirmed by Gabriel Baran, the director of Dukla Banská Bystrica.

Miroslava was closely involved in Emma’s journey from her early training days through her major international successes, including her bronze medal at the World Championships and her European Championship title. Baran expressed the club's intention to support the athlete during this difficult period, noting that this is the third athlete from the club to lose a close relative this year.

Zapletalová is a leading figure in Slovak athletics, specializing in the 400m hurdles. She holds the Slovak national record in the discipline with a time of 52.30 seconds.