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rpski plivački sport doživeo je ovog leta u glav-
nom gradu Nemačke jedan od svojih najvećih
uspeha. Velimir Stjepanović, rođen 7. avgusta 1993. u
Ujedinjenim Arapskim Emiratima, član beogradskog
plivačkog kluba Partizan, za samo tri dana doneo je
Srbiji dve zlatne medalje sa šampionata
Evrope. Stjepanović je u ponedeljak 18.
avgusta postao šampion Evrope na 400 me-
tara slobodno, a zatim u sredu 20. avgusta u
istoj disciplini i na 200 metara. U Beograd
je doleteo redovnim letom Er Srbije, zajedno
sa svojim roditeljima, majkom Anom i ocem
Milanom, donevši sa sobom svoje šampi-
onske medalje. Prema rečima kapetana Er
Srbije Dragoslava Dimića, let iz Berlina tog
dana bio je veoma prijatan. Stjepanović, koji je sa
roditeljima leteo u biznis klasi, bio je raspoložen da sa
nama podeli svoje utiske.
Sa dve zlatne medalje na šampionatu Evrope,
postavio si nove rekorde Srbije (3:45,66 i 1:45,78).
Kakav je osećaj biti dvostruki evropski šampion i
dvostruki nacionalni rekorder?
– Jedina reč koja to može opisati je „fantastično“,
tim pre što su i nacionalni rekordi koje sam nadmašio
bili moji, što znači da se usavršavam u kontinuitetu.
Pobede nad šampionima kakvi su Janik Anjel i Paul
Biderman u disciplinama u kojima beleže najbolje
rezultate, pored vrednog rada, dodatni su podsticaj za
moj dalji razvoj.
Kakav je osećaj leteti nacionalnom aviokom-
panijom kada se vraćaš u svoju domovinu kao
dvostruki evropski šampion i kakav je bio let od
Berlina do Beograda?
– To je bilo veoma lepo iskustvo. Iz Berlina sam
leteo u biznis klasi, ali mogu da kažem da je i eko-
nomska klasa udobna. Kompletno kabinsko osoblje
bilo je ljubazno i veoma predusretljivo. Kada se svi
toliko trude da vam je udobno i da ste bezbedni,
nemate uopšte osećaj da ste u vazduhu. Nisam imao
mnogo prilike da letim u biznis klasi i ovo je zaista
bilo izuzetno prijatno iskustvo. Veoma mi se dopala
hrana, kao i to što ima znatno više prostora za noge.
Za sportiste je važno da mogu da se lako kreću po
avionu i da se povremeno protegnu.
Koji su tvoji dalji planovi i hoćeš li ponovo lete-
ti Er Srbijom?
– Planiram da vredno treniram za Svetski šam-
pionat u Kazanju 2015. godine i, što je još važnije, za
Olimpijadu u Rio de Žaneiru 2016. godine. Svakako ću
nastojati da letim Er Srbijom kad god budem mogao.
Zaista sam imao vrlo prijatno iskustvo.
e
T
his summer, the German capital became the place
where Serbian swimming saw one of its greatest
triumphs. Serbian swimmer Velimir Stjepanović was
born on August 7, 1993 in UAE. This member of Bel-
grade’s Partizan Swimming Club won two gold medals
in three days at the European Swimming Champion-
ships. Stjepanović became an European Champion in
400 metres freestyle on Monday, August 18, and then on
Wednesday August 20th he won in the same discipline
on 200 metres. He flew to Belgrade on a regular Air
Serbia flight, accompanied by his parents, mother Ana
and father Milan, and brought along his championship
medals. According to Air Serbia’s Captain Dragoslav
Dimić, the flight from Berlin was quite pleasant on that
day. Stjepanović and his parents flew in business class
and he was willing to share his impressions.
Both gold medals at the European Champi-
onships also set new Serbian records (3:45,66 i
1:45,78). What does it feel like to be a double Euro-
pean Champion and to break two national records?
- Breaking my own national records felt good be-
cause it showed that I’m continuously improving every
year. The only word I can say to describe it is fantastic.
Beating out the likes of Yannick Agnel and Paul Bieder-
mann in their signature events shows good promise for
me as long as I keep working hard.
How does it feel to fly with your national airline
as a double European Champion? How was the flight
from Berlin to Belgrade?
- It was a very nice experience. I got upgraded to
business class on our way back from Berlin but I can
say even economy is comfortable, the staff are hospi-
table and polite. It doesn’t even really feel like you are
in the air when the staff make it feel so comfortable and
safe. I haven’t been on many business class flights, how-
ever it was an extremely pleasant experience. I enjoyed
the food a lot, as well as the leg space in business class.
As a sportsman, it is important for me to be able to
move around easily on the plane and stretch the legs.
Will you fly Air Serbia again and what are your
future plans?
- My future plans are to carry on training hard for
World Championships in Kazan in 2015 and more im-
portantly, preparing myself for the Olympics in Rio de
Janeiro in 2016. I will definitely try to fly with Air Serbia
whenever I can. I enjoyed the experience.
Er Srbija u fokusu
/ Air Serbia close up
Ko leti Er Srbijom –
Velimir Stjepanović
, plivač
e
Who is flying with Air Serbia -
Velimir Stjepanović
, swimmer
Srbin rođen u UAE
dvostruki šampion Evrope
e
A Serb born in UAE the double European Champion
Ana i Milan Stjepanović
o usluzi Er Srbije
Roditelji dvostrukog
evropskog šampiona,
oboje rodom iz okoline
Bijeljine u Republici
Srpskoj, bili su veoma
zadovoljni uslugom Er Sr-
bije na letu iz Berlina za
Beograd: – Veliki pozdrav
od porodice Stjepanović!
Hvala vam najlepše. Na-
stavite sa ovako dobrim
radom!!!
e
Ana and Milan
Stjepanović on
Air Serbia service
Double European Cham-
pion’s parents (both
originally from a vil-
lage close to Bijeljina,
Republika Srpska) were
very pleased with the
service of Air Serbia on
their flight from Berlin to
Belgrade: - Best regards
from the Stjepanović
family! Thank you very
much! Keep up good
work!!!
Velimir Stjepanović,
premijer Aleksandar
Vučić i ministar
omladine i sporta Vanja
Udovičić
e
Velimir Stjepanović,
prime minister and
minister of youth and
sport
Tekst / Words:
Vanja Savić
, Fotografija / Photography: porodica
Stjepanović / courtesy of Stjepanović Family
