A rich program for the UP Sports Day 2024 was traditionally prepared by the UP Academic Sport Centre (ASC), which offered indoor and outdoor sports, team tournaments, individual disciplines and sauna. Check out the detailed schedule of sports offered (in Czech). The UP Academic Sport Centre saw the most interest from participants in recent years, adding more to the dozens of sports activities offered during the registration process. Workers and students at UP had the opportunity to participate in individual and team sports activities ranging from yoga to archery to volleyball and floorball tournaments. There was also interest in non-traditional games such as kin-ball.

"In total, we had 731 bookings for the day's offer, luckily the forecast didn't come true and we didn't get any rain. Other games and entertainment for all generations were then part of the traditional afternoon get-together at the UP Sports Hall, where live music was played and prizes were drawn for the sports day participants. Prizes were donated by Palacký University, Akademik sport centrum, Otosport, Omega, Nutrend, FIT-KO, VK Šantovka Olomouc UP. During the draw, free beer from Eureka, the experimental brewery of UP, was also served," added Martina Štanclová on behalf of ASC.

Photo Gallery Sports Day 2024 - Academic Sport Centre UP

Hiking fans could go for a walk from Mariánské Údolí to Svatý Kopeček as part of the UP Sports Day. The route promised a relaxing morning walk near Olomouc with a return to the city so that the participants had enough time to regain their strength for the afternoon and evening programme of the Olomouc UP Maypole. The walk was part of the Větrání series running since 2014, originally under the banner of the UP FTK. Route: 8,4 km / map / Mar. Údolí, railway station - Posluchov - Zdiměř - Radíkov - Svatý Kopeček.

"And they did well, we enjoyed a nice walk with a bit of forest, a bit of views and a bit of history, because I tried to tell the participants a little bit about some places. We stopped, for example, at the miners' chapel in Mariánské Údolí, at the plaque commemorating Prince John II of Liechtenstein at the zdiměřská hájovna or at the Wolker's lookout at Svatý Kopeček. And the drops of water that fell on us could be counted on the fingers of one hand," said Martin Višňa from the Communications Department, who prepared the walk.

Photo gallery Sports Day 2024 - Hiking trip from Mariánské Údolí to Svatý Kopeček

For the ninth time, the Department of Informatics of the Faculty of Science UP organized a race in running through Olomouc parks - the Jiří Hronek Memorial (in Czech). The running competition offered six different lengths of courses from recreational 5 km to 42 marathon kilometres, which involves completing 13 circuits. More than fifty runners started the race on Tuesday morning in Smetanovy sady behind the lake. Jakub Koníček from the Department of Geoinformatics was the only one to run the marathon 42.195 kilometres in under three hours (time 02:55:52). Detailed results, photo galleries and the race rules can be found on the memorial's website as inspiration for the next edition.

Photo Gallery Sports Day 2024 - Memorial of Jiří Hronek

After last year's successful premiere, UP students in cooperation with the chess club SC A64 Olomouc and the Faculty of Science again prepared a chess tournament for all students and workers at Palacký University for the UP Sports Day 2024. Dean Martin Kubala welcomed 65 chess players in the faculty auditorium.

"From the beginning to the end there was a relaxed atmosphere at the tournament. Many thanks to all the participants, without whom this tournament would not have taken place, but also to the referees Richardu Biolkovi and Janě Obšivačové, who not only ensured the smooth running of the games, but also all the chess material. We are also grateful to the Faculty of Science for providing us with the space and refreshments, to all our university sponsors (Talented Palacký, UPoint, Career Centre, Volunteer Centre, Science and Technology Park and Skriptárna) and to the Olomouc City Council and Café Montana, as well as to all the co-organisers for their cooperation during the tournament," said Filippos Georgiadis on behalf of the organisers.

The winners were also announced in the afternoon in the Faculty Auditorium. The first place went to Matěj Kupsa, a student of the Faculty of Science and Education, the second place went to Vít Holásek from the Faculty of Philosophy and the imaginary bronze went to Patrik Richvalský, a student of the Faculty of Science.

Photo Gallery Sports Day 2024 - Chess tournament

As part of the UP Sports Day 2024, the Faculty of Arts organized the traditional football tournament for its employees and students, the Dean's Cup (in Czech), and recorded almost double the participation compared to previous years. 135 players competed in 11 teams for the Dean's Cup. The teams were composed of the departments of Politics and European Studies, Sociology, Andragogy and Cultural Anthropology, Media and Cultural Studies and Journalism, Theatre and Film Studies, Czech Studies, Philosophy, Psychology, German Studies and the Kurt and Ursula Schubert Center for Jewish Studies. Two teams even represented the Department of History. 

"We invited the departments to participate well in advance and chose the new playing field at the FK Slavonín football field, yet we were pleasantly surprised by such a huge turnout. The spectators also showed great interest in the tournament, which helped to create an exciting atmosphere until the very final of the tournament," appreciated the faculty sports representation Dean Jan Stejskal, whose cup this year was awarded to the Department of Media and Cultural Studies and Journalism. Detailed results are listed on the faculty's Facebook page.

Photo Gallery Sports Day 2024 - Traditional football competition of the departments of the Faculty of Arts