DELIPARA: FROM A DIFFICULT YEAR TO OLYMPIC NORM

PALE, JANUARY 28 /SRNA/ - Nineteen-year-old Teodora Delipara, a fourth-grade student at the Pale Secondary School Center, has succeeded in achieving the qualifying standard for the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, which will be held from February 6 to 22, an achievement that represents the culmination of her work so far.

"I feel excited and proud. Everything was somewhat surprising, because last year was very difficult for me. I faced the loss of my father due to illness and was unable to train for the entire year," Delipara told SRNA.

Thanks to the support of her coach Mladen Plakalović and her teammates from the Sarajevo–Istočno Sarajevo Ski Club in Pale, she resumed training in November and very quickly showed that effort and hard work truly pay off.

Delipara said that preparations are already underway and that, in addition to regular training sessions, the plan includes races that form an important part of the preparation period, so that she can be as ready as possible for her Olympic appearance.

At the Winter Olympic Games in Italy, she will compete in the sprint on February 10, as well as in the distance event, the 10-kilometer freestyle, adding that she has higher expectations for the distance race, as that discipline suits her better.

She encouraged young people to believe in themselves, even when conditions are not ideal.

"Although conditions for this sport here are not the best, it is important to keep going, gather strength, and believe in yourself, because hard work and effort ultimately pay off," Delipara emphasized.

Behind Teodora are major sporting achievements that place her among the most promising skiers in the region.

Teodora has so far achieved outstanding results, qualifying for the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Korea, competing at two World Championships, and winning as many as three gold medals at FIS races held in Dvorišta from January 14 to 19.

Just a few days later, on January 25, she returned from North Macedonia from a competition where she won first place.

She mostly competes at domestic events in the senior category, where she regularly secures top positions.