Slovak sportsman Ján Michalko began his career as a cross-country skier. In 1974 Michalko became the inaugural winner of the Biela stopa SNP (“White Track”) race, the oldest regularly organized mass-endurance ski race in Slovakia, before winning his second title in 1977. Two years earlier he had competed in four events at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, with his best result of eighth place coming in the 4 × 10 kilometres relay. In the 1975–76 World Cup season he won bronze in the 3 x 10 kilometres relay along with František Šimon and Milan Jarý. In 1976 Michalko competed in the 30 kilometres event at the Innsbruck Olympics, finishing 46th. After his retirement from the sport he worked in the police, eventually becoming the chief of police in the town of Dolný Kubín. In the early 1990s Michalko was appointed as the deputy Minister of Interior to Vladimír Mečiar, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, but was later dismissed for refusing to follow orders.
Czechoslovakia
Slovakia