Poland's Michal Rajca has won the first ever Ironman race in Slovenia, which saw around 1,400 competitors from 40 countries hitting the sea in Koper this morning.

The starting gun of the first Ironman in Slovenia will go off this morning in Koper, giving 1,400 competitors eight hours and a half to complete a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike ride and a 21.1km run.

Everything is ready for the first ever Ironman Triathlon in Slovenia on Sunday, to be held on the Slovenian coast, the organisers told the press on Friday, noting that the event had attracted 1,400 participants from all over the world, with 50 reporters and photographers having been accredited to cover the event.

Slovenia have advanced to the next stage of the Volleyball Men's World Championship. While they lost the last match against Italy 1:3 Tuesday night, they won three matches in their group to enter the round of 16 in what is their first ever World Championship.

Representatives of 20 national Olympic academies have gathered in Ljubljana in a bid to establish the European Olympic Academy, an institution designed to promote the Olympic idea.

The Slovenian national basketball team suffered a 77:86 loss to Turkey in the second round of qualifying for the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Ljubljana on Monday to squander almost all chances of making it to China. The heavily revamped European champions had fielded only six players from last year's EuroBasket.

The first ever Ironman Triathlon in Slovenia, to be held in Koper, Ankaran, Izola and Portorož on Sunday, has attracted 1,400 participants from all over the world. The organisers of the Half Ironman, which will this year feature recreational athletes, are looking to make it a traditional event.