MEDAL-WINNING ANDREA AND SARA - PRIDE OF ATHLETIC CLUB

PALE, JANUARY 1 /SRNA/ - Nine-year-old Andrea Kuburić and eleven-year-old Sara Lučić are today walking the paths of success that few at such a young age can boast of, and these young girls from Pale have become symbols of talent, hard work, and perseverance at the Pale Athletics Club.

Kuburić, a fourth-grade pupil at the Pale Elementary School, has been training in athletics for two and a half years, having been drawn to the sport because it is interesting and requires a great deal of effort and dedication. She told SRNA that balancing school and training has not been difficult, because with good organization, anything can be achieved, and that so far she has won 100 different medals. Andrea says her favorite events are the 200- and 300-meter sprints. "I run the 200 meters in 31 seconds. My friends say I'm good and encourage me to keep going. I train three times a week. I've competed all over the region - in Trebinje, Dubrovnik, Makarska, Belgrade, and many other cities - and the support of my friends and family means a lot to me," Kuburić said. She revealed that her dream is to one day become a European athletics champion. Sara Lučić, a pupil at Pale Elementary School, has a similar sporting story. She has been a member of the Athletics Club for less than a year, but in that short time, she has already won more than 100 medals and 20 trophies. Lučić has loved sports since she was little, especially running. Lučić explained that her favorite events are the 600 meters and the 5 kilometers, and recently she has been running the 200 meters more often, achieving a time of 29.52 seconds in that event. She runs the 600 meters in 1 minute 49 seconds, and completes the 5 kilometers in 20 minutes 20 seconds. "When I win a medal, I feel proud, satisfied, and happy. There are also moments of disappointment when I don’t achieve the goal I set for myself. My goal at a young age is to improve my times, and in the future, I dream of the Olympics and representing my city and country in the best possible way," Lučić emphasized. In addition to athletics, Lučić also trains in skiing. She is an excellent student and enjoys the full support of her family, coaches, and friends. Teodora Lazarević, president of the Pale Athletics Club, reminded that the club was founded in 2004 and operated successfully for 12 years, after which it went on a hiatus. She said that in 2023, at the initiative of Rade Kapor, she took over the club, and they have been working successfully for the past two years. "We have achieved top results, and we have many talented children who bring home a large number of medals from every competition, representing their town in the best possible way," Lazarević emphasized. The club currently has 65 members, the majority of whom are in the younger age groups. In the younger age groups, a wide range of events are offered, including 60 meters and hurdles, 200 and 600 meters, long jump, vortex throw, and the 40 × 60 meter relay. Lazarević added that in the older age groups, interest is lower because children are drawn to other activities. "We face a major challenge with children who arrive with poorly developed basic motor skills, such as strength, fitness, and endurance. Motivating them to stay in athletics is a real challenge," Lazarević said. According to her, today the challenge is not to create a champion, but to nurture a child who will fall in love with athletics, come to training with a smile, and attend regularly, given that athletics is a long-term process and results and medals come over time. The examples of Andrea and Sara demonstrate that with hard work, patience, and a love of sport, great progress can be made.