Karolína Hajduková secured the silver medal in the individual time trial at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, finishing just 5.05 seconds behind the winner on the 8.5-kilometer circuit, Športky.sk reported.
The 17-year-old Slovak cyclist crossed the finish line in 11 minutes and 37.62 seconds. Anel Tashbayeva of Kazakhstan claimed the gold medal with a time of 11:32.57, while Russia’s Angelina Novolodská took third place with 11:48.65, finishing 11.08 seconds behind the winner.
Hajduková’s podium finish marks Slovakia’s fourth medal at the multi-sport event in Senegal. Earlier in the Dakar program, the young cyclist placed 13th in the mass start road race.
Nigeria's Ringnan Danjuma finished 34th among 41 competitors in the women's Cycling Road Individual Time Trial clocking 13:56.54 at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. Kazakhstan's Anel Tashbay claimed GOLD in 11:32.57, followed by Slovakia's Karolina Hajdukova (11:37.62) and… pic.twitter.com/UOXqJL5A08
Slovakia’s delegation in Dakar has now collected one silver and three bronze medals across three different sports. Swimmers Stela Megelová in the 200-meter individual medley and Matiáš Ondrej Krištof in the 100-meter butterfly both secured bronze, alongside judoka Vivien Vadovičová in the under-52 kilogram weight category.
Last year, the Junior Olympic Team member won the time trial event at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje.
Speaking to the official website of the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee, Hajduková reflected on the narrow margin that separated her from the top step of the podium. “I am very happy, but at the same time I am sorry that I lost 5 seconds to the first one,” she said.
“I gave it everything, so I am satisfied. Surely something can always be done better, but it is a lesson for the future.” She added that the long wait before final results were confirmed proved especially stressful, noting that the single turn on the flat circuit offered a spot where fractions of a second could slip away.
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