ĐURICA: JUDO TEACHES US NOT ONLY SKILLS, BUT TO BE GOOD PEOPLE AS WELL

BERKOVIĆI, OCTOBER 30 /SRNA/ - Young judoka Nađa Đurica from Berkovići, who recently won a bronze medal at the Balkan Championship in the under-12 category, told SRNA she is proud of her success and loves the sport, in which coaches teach them not only skills but also good manners and how to be good people.

Đurica, a sixth-grader, said she had three fights at the championship against competitors from Turkiye and BiH.

“When I won, I was really happy,” Đurica said, adding that, besides this medal, she had earlier won the BiH national title, second place at the Republika Srpska championship and a number of other titles.

Đurica said she has been training judo for five years and wants to continue when she grows up and take part in as many competitions as possible.

“Berkovići” Judo Club coach Nikola Čabrilo told SRNA that Nađa has been Republika Srpska and BiH champion several times, and that this was the first time she had the chance to compete at the Balkan Championship.

He said Nađa is a young talent, dedicated to training and the sport, adding that it is common for girls to train judo in Berkovići, since there are more of them in the club than boys.

“Judo is a combat sport whose name means ‘the gentle way’, and it isn’t aggressive. UNICEF has named it one of the best sports for children’s development because of movement coordination, since sometimes you have to make three different moves in a second,” Čabrilo said.

The club in Berkovići has existed since 2004 and has around 20 children training. Similar clubs also exist in Ljubinje, Gacko and Bileća.