Romani girl who won race in Slovakia while running in flats keeps on winning

Last year the story of Annamárie Horváthová, a schoolgirl from an impoverished Romani family in Slovakia, drew attention and sympathy after she won a running competition wearing flats. She has been training and competing since September 2018 and now has the proper footwear for it.

Last week she scored big successes in the Junior Championship of the East Slovakian Athletic Union. She is now the champion for that region, according to Mária Tóthová, an educator who blogged about the student athlete in an online media outlet serving teachers in Slovakia.

Horváthová won the 800 meter race in her age category and came in second place in the 300 meter. The story of the Romani girl, who has six siblings and gets top grades at school, sparked a debate in the media about the fact that children growing up in impoverished conditions do not have much of a chance to develop their talent.