Miroslav Martinák

Slovak sportsman Miroslav Martinák spent his entire life involved in ski jumping, first as a competitor, and then as a coach and judge. In the 1950s Martinák began jumping in front of crowds in his local village, eventually earning a place on the Czechoslovak national team. In 1962 he competed at the FIS World Championships in Poland where he placed 20th in the large hill event. He later turned to coaching, working with Karel Kodejška at the 1972 Sapporo and 1976 Innsbruck Olympics. Martinák then became a judge working for the FIS in multiple international competitions, including officiating at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. In 2007 the Slovak Olympic Committee honoured him with the SOV Bronze Rings for his lifelong work in the sport.