BiH Olympic team happy to participate in Beijing Games

01/08/2008

Hampered by lack of financial support, the five-member Bosnia and Herzegovina Olympic team is realistic about prospects for a medal.

By Antonio Prlenda for Southeast European Times in Sarajevo - 01/08/08

"The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete" will be the BiH team's motto at the 2008 Olympic Games. [Getty Images]

Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) Olympic team will arrive in Beijing with a total of five athletes. The athletes are judoist Amel Mekic, rifleman Nedzad Fazlija, shot-putter Hamza Alic, distance runner Lucija Kimani and swimmer Nedim Nisic.

BiH sports journalist Tomo Pocanic of Oslobodjenje Daily told Southeast European Times that the BiH athletes in Beijing will honour the words of modern Olympic Games founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin: "The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete." "

Our athletes do their best under relatively poor conditions. BiH political authorities do not invest much in sports, so the athletes cannot fully dedicate themselves," Pocanic said.

Judoist Mekic from Sarajevo was the Balkan champion six times. His best was fifth place at the World Judo Championship in Rio de Janeiro last year. He will be the flag-bearer for BiH at the opening ceremony in Beijing.

"I am really honoured, but I would rather be the one who will carry the flag at the closing ceremony, because that duty will go to the athlete who achieves the best result at the Games," said Mekic.

He just recovered from a serious sports injury. He trained hard the last ten days but is not sure if he can recuperate enough to take a medal at the Olympics.

For shooter Fazlija, this will be the fourth Olympics. Several years ago, he ranked ninth in the world.

Kenyan-born Kimani, the only woman athlete on the team, took tenth place in the Dubai International Marathon in January.

Swimmer Nisic, currently studying in the United States, had several outstanding results in US university meets.

Shot-putter Alic, from a village near Srebrenica, is currently the best in the Balkans.

At the official presentation of the BiH Olympic Team in Sarajevo, the chairman of the BiH Olympic Committee, Sinisa Kisic, cheered on the athletes and asked them to do their best and form friendships with athletes from other nations.

"You will have our gratitude whatever results you achieve at the Olympics. We have full confidence in you, and we wish you all the best," said Kisic.