MIJOVIĆ - STRENGTH, PERSEVERANCE, AND LOVE LEAD TO THE WORLD COMPETITION

PALE, SEPTEMBER 20 /SRNA/ - Zorana Mijović from Pale, the champion of BiH in powerlifting, will compete at the World Championship in Hungary at the end of October in weightlifting, where she will be aiming for the gold medal.

“I am preparing intensively and have high expectations. I compete on October 30, and the official weigh-in is the day before. My goal is to win first place, which is every athlete’s dream, but we will see in the end how it turns out,” Mijović told SRNA. Thirty-three-year-old Zorana is the only woman in the city of Istočno Sarajevo who practices powerlifting, and in just four years of intensive training and competition, she managed to become the champion of BiH. Her dedication, discipline, and desire for success serve as an example for young athletes. Zorana’s records speak for themselves – deadlift 160 kilograms, bench press 75 kilograms, and squat 135 kilograms, all in the up-to-60-kilogram category. Mijović states that this time in Hungary, she will compete in the up to 56-kilogram category. “My goal at every competition is to lift at least 10 kilograms more than at the previous one,” says this ambitious athlete. Zorana trains six to seven times a week, for two and a half hours each session, so her life is completely adapted to sports – from nutrition and sleep to a strict training regimen. According to her, powerlifting requires a lot of work, effort, and sacrifice because it is a demanding sport, especially for a woman, given the heavy weights involved. She says that is why tremendous perseverance is needed, but also love for the sport. “I can’t imagine my life without this sport,” Mijović emphasized. Although powerlifting is a less represented sport in BiH and competitions are not frequent, Zorana has won one of the top three places at every event, most often first place. She attends competitions with her husband, Tomislav, who is her greatest support. Zorana has been involved in sports for almost 15 years, and it was in the gym that she, as she says, discovered her love for powerlifting. She is also a fitness trainer, and anyone interested can contact her via her Instagram or Facebook profile /Zorana Mijovic/. Zorana is the champion of BiH in weightlifting, but she has not received any financial support from the relevant institutions, despite competing at the highest level, which requires specialized and costly equipment. Mijović expressed her gratitude to the municipalities of Pale and Istočni Stari Grad, the Mayor of Istočno Sarajevo, Ljubiša Ćosić, as well as to her fellow citizens who helped her secure the funds to participate in the World Championship, emphasizing that their support means a lot to her.