Slovakian Olympian Denisa Baránková, 24, Dies After Being Hit by Car

Anna Lazarus CaplanWed, June 24, 2026 at 3:03 PM UTC

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Denisa BaránkováCredit: Sun Fanyue/Xinhua via Getty -

A two-time Olympic archer has died

Denisa Baránková, of Slovakia, was killed in a traffic accident on Sunday, June 21

Baránková won the gold medal at The World Games in 2025

Slovakian Olympic archer Denisa Baránková has died after being hit by a car in her native country. She was 24.

"With profound emotion and deep sorrow, we received the shocking information that Denisa Hurban Baránková died on the night of Sunday to Monday at the age of 24, she became a victim of tragic circumstances,” the Slovak Archery Association (SLZ) wrote in a statement on Facebook.

Baránková was near a parking lot of a residential building in Bratislava’s Petržalka district on Sunday, June 21 when a 42-year-old driver lost control of his car and crashed into a parked vehicle.

“He then crossed onto a grassy area, where he collided with two people," Bratislava regional police spokesman Michal Szeiff said, according to STVR.

Baránková was transported to University Hospital where she later died from her injuries. An 11-year-old girl was also injured in the accident.

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Denisa BaránkováCredit: ADEK BERRY/AFP via Getty

Baránková competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Games, and won a gold medal at The World Games in 2025.

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“Denisa was one of the brightest talents in archery,” the International World Games Association (IWGA) said in a statement. “A two-time Olympian and proud representative of Slovakia, she embodied the spirit of The World Games — excellence, passion, and dedication. Her gold medal in Chengdu last August was a moment of pure brilliance that the entire The World Games family celebrated alongside her, and it will forever remain part of the legacy of TWG 2025.

Baránková is survived by her husband, Vladimír Hurban Jr., and extended family members.

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