Skier From Ljubljana Representing Serbia At The Winter Olympics

Five years ago, 25-year old alpine skier Marko Vukičević, specialist for fast discipline, who replaced his Slovenian ski pass with Serbian 5 years ago, is preparing for his second Olympic event. 

Meanwhile, the best Serbian alpine skier, Nevena Ignjatović, is included in the Slovenian national team and lives in Škofja Loka because of the better conditions for training. Marko Vukičević from Ljubljana, who performed for International Ski Federation until 2012 as a Slovenian, then used his Serbian roots and moved in new national team.

He acknowledges that this was a move that saved his career and offered him some unforgettable experiences, such as performances at the World Championships (Schladming 2013 and St. Moritz 2015) and the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014. For the second time at the Winter Olympics, Marko will represent Serbian flag in PyeongChang next year.

"After the poor results I did not have the opportunity to be a part of the selection for representation, so I lost my motivation in Slovenia, because my opportunities would be limited. In Serbia, for me, it was a good opportunity for me with a substantial financial support from the local ski association and the Olympic Committee I raise the level of my skiing", explains Vukičević.

Regarding the next season, Marko stated: "I didn't think much about it. I want to work gradually and carefully, and although my goals are high, I try to be patient. I believe that I could show most in two or three seasons when I already knew all the races and accumulated lot of experience, but I want to win points on a regular basis and gradually get closer to the best."

News source: Siol.net
Photo credits: Sportida