Champions

NEMANJA MAJDOV, WORLD CHAMPION IN JUDO, PRIDE OF SRPSKA AND SERBIA
High Measure of Value
Real self-confidence originates from faith. Faith in God, not oneself. The best side of combat sport is creating strong personalities, capable for fighting in life. There is something victorious in the Serbian spirit and character, an unusual readiness to confront any temptation or tyrant. On a soil such as Srpska’s is, people grow brave and determined, which are good characteristics for sportsmen. We have many talented and self-conscious young people, waiting to be shown the right path, both theirs and ours

By: Dejan Bulajić
Photo: Guest’s Archive

This year, now reaching its end, Nemanja Majdov (Srpsko Sarajevo, 1996) achieved one of the most valuable results among Serbian sportsmen. He was brilliant at the World Championship in Budapest and won gold medal in 90 kilograms class. He is the first Serbian judoist who succeeded in winning the planetary title. He had to surpass seven obstacles on his way to the throne. The victorious impressions are strongly imprinted in the consciousness of the brilliant judoist.
– A bit more than two months have passed since this historical feat. The impressions have been absorbed, but they are still alive, as if everything happened yesterday. Time will do its part and put every deed in the right place. I’m aware that this result will forever remain a high measure of value, hence the feeling I carry is still wonderful. As a human being, I remained the same, only aware that strenuous work has paid off.

You left a great impression on everyone, both with your result and the optimism you expressed on each step?
I am a big optimist anyway in all areas of life, not only sports. It is one of the features of my character. I’ve been such ever since my childhood. Already then I felt that it’ll be of crucial importance. It’s the positive energy that decides in seconds of crisis, between victory or defeat, light or darkness.

What is the cause of it?
It is a consequence of many factors. As for my character, I hated loosing ever since my early days, regardless of what we played or did, and we always had to play until I win. I often jokingly said that no one would fall asleep if I lost. Self-confidence is always high, because I always have a vision of winning or succeeding to reach my objective. However, the main self-confidence originates from great and true faith in God. It is my greatest strength and motivation, so self-confidence actually isn’t faith in myself, but great faith in our Lord. Relying on oneself without faith in God is illusive. I proved it many times, both to myself and others.

What do you expect from yourself in your future career?
We have to be smart and patient. I’m only twenty-one, I’ve just enter the senior category and already became best in the world, as one of the youngest world champions ever. My objective is to preserve my health, because a healthy man can do anything. And everything, with God’s help, is leading towards the Olympic champion title. The road is long, so we take one step at a time.

THROUGH FIGHTING TO A PERSONALITY

How to explain the phenomenon of a winner?
A winner is a man who never gave up on his dreams, who went through hardships to reach the stars, who survived hundreds of rises and falls, but still persisted in his champion’s mentality. A man who succeeded in winning a war after many lost and difficult battles. That’s what I want to cultivate in myself.

Do combat sports help creating strong personalities, up for any situation in life?
Absolutely yes. It’s perhaps the best side of combat sports, as well as other Olympic sports: they recruit fighters in life. The sports career ends and a new life with new challenges begin, into which any professional sportsman enters completely ready, due to the personality they built, their iron character.

How do you explain the fact that our nation is so successful in sports?
Before all due to our recognizable Serbian character and Serbian spite. We don’t let others come before us. It’s also important that we have an objective and are ready to make sacrifice for it. Of course, there is the system that produces champions. We invest in sports, we have a plan, which could, of course, be much better. There’s always room for improvement.

How is you education going?
This is, of course, important, because it makes a champion complete. I was the best student of my generation in the ”St. Sava” Elementary School in Istočno Sarajevo. I completed middle pharmaceutical school with excellent grades and now I’m at the third year of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, also in Istočno Sarajevo. I’m sure I won’t neglect education because of my obligations in sport, since I believe it’s very important for me to be a complete and multiply successful personality.

Do you find anything especially attractive in some other field?
I like music very much and I can say it’s an integral part of my life. I simply cannot train without music, because it initiates forceful energy in me. I often watch movies and popular TV series, especially when preparing for a tournament, when I use them to ”refresh my head” between trainings. I read, mainly ecclesiastical books, literature about holy fathers. They teach me important lessons in life and how to live better.

THOSE PEOPLE OF MINE

Family in your life?
The family is the basis of everything, everything starts from there. All good and bad features originate from the family, from home upbringing. The family is also my greatest support – mother Biljana, my father and coach Ljubiša, older brother Stefan, who is also judo champion and my model in life. I must also mention, however, other people very important to me, such as my aunt Ljiljana and uncle Bojan, as well as professor Aleksandar Jakovljević, PhD, one of the people crucial for my success and the success of my team, a great man without whose support I couldn’t reach the level I’m at now.

What is the meaning of friends in your life?
Friends are precious, but only true friends, that go through everything together with you. There’s no philosophy there – when we’re down, we’re down together, when we’re up, we’re up together. Thank God, I have my brothers Manda, Mela, Mijan, Aki, Johnny, Maras, Kure, Romi, Boza and Janja. That’s the world champion team. We did it all together.

There was a noisy celebration in Istočno Sarajevo when you won the title. Are you aware how much successes of sportsmen mean to the people?
It was one of the most wonderful moments in my life. There was a big celebration, everyone watched, cheered and stood with me with positive energy. I had a magnificent, unforgettable welcome in my city, which is very hard to deserve. On the contrary. It’s most difficult to gain sincere sympathy in your own place, therefore that experience is a great inspiration and motivation for the future. Sometimes it seems that sportsmen can unite the people as no one else can. Perhaps because, even when they don’t succeed in achieving their ambitions, everyone feels their sincere wish to wear the Serbian national team jersey. The objectives of our sportsmen become common objectives and when they are realized, it means common joy.

How does it really feel to represent your nation and fight for it?
It is a big honor for me, as well as a big obligation. I fight for Serbia and Srpska, for our nation and all the good people who like sports. I’m proud because I’m able to make them happy, at least for a moment. Similarly, I also have in mind that members of national teams are rare and lucky individuals, who have the privilege to wear the coat of arms of their country on their chest. Such opportunities are not to be missed and I will, whenever I have the chance to, use them in the best possible way.

EVERYTHING FOR MY PEOPLE

Republic of Srpska has a reason to be proud of many champions raised on its territory?
We, people of Srpska, are very specific. We go alone against everyone and don’t fear anyone in the world, because we dare to confront anyone. Brave and decisive people grow on such a soil, which is a good characteristic for sportsmen. It’s my pleasure to say that there are really many talented young people, who don’t need much to step out of the shadows.

They are growing up at a time when many have an identity problem, forgetting who they are and where they come from?
I believe that it’s generally a bad thing. Of course, everyone has the right to their own point of view, but I think that everyone should know where they come from, where their roots are and mustn’t forget it. I proudly say that my roots are from Foča, Pređel, I live in Istočno Sarajevo and Republic of Srpska, and do all the basic preparations on our Olympic beauty Jahorina. I’m ready to give my best for my people, and feel very proud, because only a few people can share their successes with their nation.

Do we have a problem with bringing up young generations and do we often surrender them to the will of time?
Apparently yes. Things are getting worse, there is less culture and home upbringing. A lack of real objectives and appropriate models is also present in their vision. I also work as a coach in our judo club ”Randori” in Istočno Novo Sarajevo, so I’m in contact with children of different age every day. Of course, there are still wonderful children, but in general, we need numerous changes regarding young people, a completely different path and huge support.

How to direct them to the right paths?
Parents initiate everything. They must have faith in their children, invest in them, not only money, but lots of time, to show and teach them real values while they’re still young. As a state, we have to show more real models in the media, especially TV, great people and legends, to reward and appreciate them, and not let our children watch worthless, dishonorable and failed people, who embarrass themselves in TV shows and get money for it. That has to change. Live a healthy life, study, fight for yourself, because no one can do it instead of you. And take a reasonable path, the path of God.

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Decision
– I’ve been in judo since I was six, and at the age of ten already decided what and who I want to be. When you make such a decision, you put a point and stop thinking about other things. I believe that everything I sacrificed then, everything I gave up until now, I can live much better today.

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Making a Family
– I’m most attracted to the idea of making my own family at the moment. I certainly won’t hurry, because it’s something that has to happen spontaneously. It’s a big thing and I wish it will happen soon. I believe that family people have an incomparable fuller life, which makes them stronger and more resistant to various everyday challenges.