13. November 2024.
- Out of over 30 medals I've won in my life, I think I won at least 25 of them because of defiance. I simply can't accept the fact that it's all about the conditions, about the preparation, but I want to think that things depend little bit on me, pointed out our celebrated athlete Ivana Španović during a conversation with students organized by the brand One Two Three in the Cultural Centre of Student City, as part of the first ESG festival of the Hemofarm company and University of Belgrade.
As she says, her greatest advantage at the beginning was that she hadn’t any conditions for training.
- I bothered people in different halls and spaces, because I had nowhere to train. But, somewhere in my subconscious, I had this idea, that no matter of such a situation, my desire to succeed is much greater than for example desire of a girl from America who has absolutely all the conditions and can choose how she wants to live, where she will go for preparatory training sessions, who will work with her, she adds.
Answering to the question of one of the students from the audience, Španović stressed out that when motivation is lacking, discipline is what makes the difference.
- Motivation is something you can rely on in the short term. I think that when you do something reluctantly, but you do it anyway, that's actually where the strength lies to be even braver for something when you are actually ready. I often like to say - pretending to be brave when you're not, is bravery, Španović points out and adds that in her career so far, the biggest problem has been to restrain all desires and ambitions, put everything on paper and prioritize things.
- It is ok to fantasize, but let’s talk about something that do you good at this very moment. I never rely only on motivation, but rather on a plan, adds she.
In the rhythm of healthy life
In order to keep up with her rhythm of life and daily obligations, Ivana points out that a healthy diet and adequate supplementation is an important part of her path to success.
„Vitamins that I take help me feel stronger and more prepared for everyday challenges and activities, they supplement the ever poorer composition of the foodstuffs, and my body is my tool in the work I do to the same extent as outside the field and it is important for me what I nurture it with“ emphasizes Ivana Španović.
She also reflected on the end of her professional career and her plans for the future.
- I like to joke about myself and have been announcing the end of my career for several years already. Truth be told, sport has always been a platform for me to do what I want, the way I want and to do it successfully. I accepted that my sports career would last for a period of time, that it would end at some point, and I was never afraid of what came next. Everything that follows afterwards excites me immensely, because for any of you it is a normal life. It's not for me, it's something completely different for me, just knowing that I will be able to organize my time differently and work on several things at once is something I'm really looking forward to, Španović said.
As she pointed out, she recently started an initiative with her two friends with the aim of creating a network of women who will be available to each other for any problem or service.
- I know what children come across in sports, how many unknown things there are and simply there can be a complete stoppage and delay because someone hesitates to ask something or seek any professional help. I don't see myself in the role of a coach, but rather in working with children on psychological preparation. In professional sport, we are talking about nuances, completely imperceptible to an ordinary person, but in the end, it makes the difference between thousands of athletes and those two or three who are at the very top. It is this mental strength so that in crucial moments you do not have any doubts and you do not give in or even worse - give up, she added.
Answering the question whether the position of women in sports is more difficult than that of men, she says that there are differences, both in athletics and in other sports.
- Some differences are justified and that is completely legitimate, and on the other hand, no matter how much we strive to empower women, to be each other's support, which does not exclude the support of men and we absolutely cannot do without them. We are trying to find a way and create conditions for networking to reach as many women as possible, encourage development and contribute responsibly to the wider social context together, Španović concluded.
