Thursday, 13th January 2011, Velenje, Slovenia
Petra Majdič is the Slovenian of the year 2010
On Tuesday, January 11th 2011, Petra Majdič, the first lady of cross country skiing, received the title "Slovenian of the Year 2010" as voted for the 23rd consecutive year by the readers of the Jana magazine. Gorenje congratulates Mrs. Majdič on this honour.
Readers of the Jana magazine nominated Mrs. Petra Majdič for the Slovenian of the Year title for the achievements she has seen in her 22-year career, including 42 performances that earned her a place on the winner's podium, crowned by the heroic run with five broken ribs at the Vancouver Olympic Games, which made for one of the most dramatic stories in the history of the Olympics. With a historic medal and despite severe injuries, she returned home smiling. The announcement of the title read: "Petra has a heart that is bigger than all her problems. She delivered a clear message that effectively spurred optimism in Slovenia. She stressed that hers was not a gladiator battle; it was a sports game aiming for higher goals. After recovery, she decided to resume her sports career. Her goals include winning the World Cup, World Championships, and the overall Crystal Globe – the only honour missing in her collection."
On the same day, Petra Majdič also received the title Athlete of the Year 2010, as voted by the visitors of the slovenian Sportal website.
Gorenje has been the general sponsor of Slovenian Nordic Ski Team for nearly twenty years. The company has proudly stood by the teams to see many glorious achievements that have contribute to the recognition of the Gorenje brand at home and abroad, season-in season-out. The role that Gorenje has played in this regard has been recently recognized by the professional community. The Sports & Media festival, sponsored by the Slovenian Olympic Committee presented Gorenje with an award for years of investment into development of Slovenian sports.