Warm Welcome Softens The Blow For Serbian Boxer
A hero’s homecoming was awaiting Serbia’s athletes when they arrived back from the Olympic Games. In scenes reminiscent of Djokovic’s triumphant return as Wimbledon champion, tens of thousands of well-wishers filled Belgrade city centre to show their praise and respect for the athletes’ performance in London and to see the medals won there.
That so many people turned out to cheer their return went a long way to soften the blow of disappointment for Olympic boxer Aleksandar Drenovak. Hearts were filled with hope when the nation’s favourite young middleweight won his first fight against Ecuador’s Suarez Delgado, but those hopes were shattered when he was out-classed by Turkey’s Adem Kilicci.
“I must tell you, I am not satisfied with my result at the games,’ he told Wild Rooster. “I came thirteenth. I gave my best in the moment but I could have done better. I am better than that.
Arts Could Suffer Under Serbia’s New Leadership
Culture and the arts in Serbia could suffer through lack of government support and a background of corruption, two of the nation’s foremost filmmakers have said. Esteemed actress Mirjana Karanović and controversial director Stevan Filipović are known across the Balkans for their strongly held opinions and an unflinching desire to express what others choose to ignore.
It takes more than bricks and mortar to build a nation and the value of art in building a more confident and rounded society should not be underestimated, Mirjana told Wild Rooster. “You can change everything outside: buildings, technology and fashion,’ she said. “You can build highways, even change how nature looks, but it is very difficult to change people inside. It is so hard to change their habits, change their ideas.
Scorpions Video Case Inspires Serbian Film
The Scorpions notorious Serbian paramilitary unit has inspired two of Serbia’s most prominent filmmakers to write A Good Wife, a film that is already picking up awards and plaudits even before shooting has wrapped.
Esteemed Serbian actress Mirjana Karanović (Grbavica/Esma’s Story) and out-spoken director Stevan Filipović (Skinning/Šišanje) have drawn from a well-known conviction of members of this unit to write a script that will put a personal spin on difficult issues in Serbia’s recent past.
“This story is based on the Scorpions case, where members of this special police unit killed six Bosniak civilians in the nineties and videotaped the crime,’ said Stevan, explaining the real-life inspiration for the script he co-wrote with Mirjana. “The tape later leaked, and they were arrested.
Hopes Remain High For Serbian Boxer Drenovak
Serbia’s Olympic middleweight boxer Aleksandar Drenovak is holding his focus after having fought his way through to the final sixteen with a win against Ecuador’s Suarez Delgado, late on Saturday. Despite the narrow margin win, Aleksandar was clearly confident of his win, even before the result was announced. “The match was very close, but I believed that I did enough to win,’ Aleksandar told Wild Rooster after the match. “But it was still a great feeling when they lifted my arm.”
As well as the physical aspects of training, Aleksandar is a firm believer in the mental preparations required to succeed at such a level. “Our team psychologist Dr Ljubica was with us at the match,’ he said. “She made me very calm with some useful advice before the match and then supported me during the match. I want to thank her very much for that.”
