Athens, 18 August 2004, Games of the XXVIII Olympiad. Men's Canoe-kayak: Michal MARTIKAN of Slovakia competes in the C-1 canoe single slalom semifinal at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Center. edit: Getty Images/Clive Mason

Born: 18 May 1979

Birthplace: Liptovsky Mikulas, (Slovakia)

Nationality: Slovakia

Sport: Canoe / Kayak

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Atlanta 1996

Sydney 2000

Athens 2004

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Silver: 2

Triple Slalom Canoe Medalist

At the age of 16, Michal Martikan became the youngest winner of a World Cup slalom canoeing event. Three months later, now 17 years old, Martikan was in sixth place after the first run of the canoe slalom singles event at the 1996 Olympics. With nothing to lose, he went all out on the second run and just bettered the score of defending champion Lukáš Pollert of the Czech Republic. Martikan was the first Olympic champion to represent independent Slovakia. He entered the 2000 Olympics as the favourite, having consistently finished near the top in every major competition and in each World Cup series. At the Sydney Games, Martikan registered the best score in the qualifying round, but was only in fifth place after the first run of the final. In the second run, he paddled a perfect course and his time was the fastest of the round. He was able to move up to the silver medal position behind Tony Estanguet of France. Competing in his third Olympics in 2004, Martikan again led the qualifying round. He also earned the highest score in the semifinals, which also served as the first run of the final. After the second run, it appeared that Martikan had regained the Olympic title, but a video review revealed that he had touched a gate and he ended up in second place only 12 hundredths of a point behind Estanguet. Michal Martikan is the only slalom canoeist to win three Olympic medals.