It was an eventful summer time for Urska ZOLNIR JUGOVAR: the EJU Sport Director has been working for the Slovenian Olympic Committee for the reason that starting of the yr, extra exactly within the advertising division. On the Olympic Video games in Paris, she was liable for the programme on the Slovenian Hospitality Home. It was the third completely different position for the London Olympic champion at her fifth Summer time Video games. After the European Judo Championships Juniors in Tallinn, Urska Zolnir Jugovar took the time for an in-depth interview about Olympic experiences, new duties and household challenges.
Your Olympic profession started in 2004 as a wildcard athlete who received bronze on her debut. In Beijing, 4 years later, you got here seventh. The crowning glory got here in 2012 with the primary judo Olympic gold for Slovenia. What characterised the athlete Urska Zolnir Jugovar?
Urska Zolnir Jugovar: “As an athlete, you’re fully centered on your self. You’re the centre of consideration, every thing revolves round you or judo. You prepare, eat, sleep, prepare and so forth. It was clear to me from the beginning: you possibly can’t afford to make any extra errors within the final two weeks earlier than day X, particularly not within the final week. You power your self to concentrate to every thing, in coaching, when consuming… Nothing occurs by probability anymore.”
Whenever you received the Olympics in 2012 at your third try – what was completely different? Was the strain better than typical?
Zolnir Jugovar: “In 2012, I used to be clearly on the peak of my profession. That was the very best Urska of all time. I actually destroyed my randori opponents in coaching. However I wasn’t fascinated with a medal and even the Olympic title. My mission was to get as match as potential and keep wholesome within the final yr earlier than the Video games. Sure, the strain was there. However I had achieved every thing proper over the past yr. The competitors day went to my liking proper from the beginning, it was the very best day of my life as an athlete. I loved each minute… Particularly the award ceremony.”
You have been already concerned as a coach throughout your lively profession after which labored with the lads’s nationwide workforce after your lively profession. Your protégé Adrijan Gomboc (-66) completed fifth in Rio in 2016. How troublesome was it to realize a foothold as a coach? How do you price Adrijan’s fifth place?
Zolnir Jugovar: “As an athlete, I had greater than twenty years – ultimately, all of the laborious, constant work paid off. As a coach, I knew from the outset. Adrijan, Rok, Miha and I solely have one Olympic cycle. It was agreed from the beginning that I might cease after Rio, as a result of I wished to begin a household and graduate. It was a giant change: all of the sudden you’re not the centre of consideration, however your athlete is. And you need to care for an unbelievable variety of areas. I’ve grow to be a really shut observer over time. I’ve learnt to register each element. And truthfully, the teaching job is totally underestimated. It’s a tricky job, seven days every week, 24 hours a day. It’s troublesome to organise a non-public life alongside it. I take my hat off to all high coaches. However, I’m very grateful to have had this expertise. That is now additionally serving to me on the EJU and the Nationwide Olympic Committee.”
Key phrase: Slovenian Olympic Committee. In January you began your advertising job, in the summertime in Paris you have been liable for the programme within the Slovenian Home, acquired President Natasa Pirc Muzar and Prime Minister Robert Golob and helped organise Andreja Leski’s victory ceremony. It was your third completely different position at your fifth Video games. How difficult was it to be away from your loved ones for 3 weeks?
Zolnir Jugovar: “It was a totally new expertise once more. My day began at 6am and I used to be at Slovenian Home from 8.30am. The home opened at 10 a.m. I by no means really left earlier than 11 p.m. And the work didn’t all the time finish there. The large problem was that the Slovenian Home 2024 undertaking was a lot greater and extra bold than the earlier years. In different phrases, I couldn’t have imagined the enormity of the undertaking forward of me. I had been used to being a lone fighter since childhood. Now I needed to work in a workforce and coordinate quite a lot of areas. My expertise on this space was restricted and the preparation time of six months was very brief. My five-year-old daughter Nola and husband Matej additionally wished my consideration. They have been in Paris for six days in the course of the Video games. I wished them to see what Mum was doing… And there was additionally time for Euro Disneyland.”
Who took over your job for the competitors day of Andreja Leski? How did you expertise her Olympic victory?
Zolnir Jugovar: “The Olympic Committee provided me the prospect to go to the Champs de Mars area. However I didn’t have to consider it for lengthy. I stayed within the Slovenian Home. It wouldn’t have been proper. My job was to run the programme in-house. I didn’t need to let the others down. I wouldn’t have had a quiet minute within the corridor and wouldn’t have been in a position to focus on judo. In fact I used to be cheering Andreja on and watching her fights on TV. However my consideration was focussed on the Slovenian Home. I wished to do my job completely. That was extra vital to me. I hope that doesn’t come throughout as unusual… I really like judo, I used to be very glad for Andreja. We’ve now received at the very least one medal in six Video games in a row. Not many international locations can say that.”
As a programme supervisor, did it enable you to be the judo Olympic champion Urska Zolnir Jugovar that everybody is aware of?
Zolnir Jugovar: “Fortuitously, I’m not shy, I’m not afraid of contact and I understand how to cope with athletes and coaches. However admittedly, in fact it helps in sure conditions in terms of liaising with varied businesses and ministries. Perhaps additionally when you need to pay attention and comply with orders. Alternatively, ultimately it’s your efficiency that counts.”
What are your private emotions about Paris? This time, you could possibly not deal with the rating… How do you personally price your individual work?
Zolnir Jugovar: “We had a complete of greater than 1,500 friends inside two weeks, from the President to the Prime Minister and varied IOC members. It was significantly vital to us that every of our 90 Slovenian athletes was in the home and was honoured accordingly. 30 staff did a terrific job at Slovenian Home. The suggestions was wonderful. My bosses are glad and so am I. The ambiance was nice, each among the many friends and internally.”
And your loved ones – how did they take to your Olympic journey?
Zolnir Jugovar: “In fact there have been some specifically powerful days. One Monday, I couldn’t get via to my daughter or my husband for some time. Not every thing went in response to plan in Paris both. I needed to settle down for a second. However basically, we labored very well as a household. My husband and daughter have been understanding. I’m actually proud and glad. And the day at Disneyland was a reward for everybody, together with me. By the way, I additionally met some worldwide judoka there. They have been already off on the time.”
How vital is the job on the Nationwide Olympic Committee to you?
Zolnir Jugovar: “The job is thrilling, I get pleasure from it and it offers me and my household the safety we’d like. I’ve come to remain longer.”
How a lot room is there for judo and the EJU?
Zolnir Jugovar: “Judo and the EJU are my second household. It’s my large pastime, my vocation. I’m glad to have the ability to give one thing again to the game. And I sit up for each project. Tallinn, the European Underneath-21 Championships, was a whole success, each in sporting and organisational phrases.”
Writer: EJU Media
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