There is a starting point for all judoka, their first OTC. For Aisa NURKOVIC of Montenegro, she is starting her voyage right here in Mittersill, Austria. With the Senior European Championships being held in Podgorica, Montenegro this year, Aisa kindly volunteered to join the EJU media team to ask some of the champions on the tatami some questions.
At only 18 years old and debuting as a junior athlete in recent times, it isn’t a sure thing that Aisa will be competing in these particular championships, but with this event on her doorstep, she is highly motivated for the future.
The European Championships this year is a big motivation to me, this is the biggest event we are hosting, and I think it will help the sport become more popular. For people outside the country as well, lots of people have not been to Montenegro and we have so many places for tourists and I think the judoka will love it!
Aisa’s debut on an OTC may be this week, but when did her judo journey begin?
I started judo when I was six years old, I come from a judo family, all of brothers and sisters have done judo, two sisters and four brothers so we are a big family. Actually my dad has a club and was the first to bring judo to our city, and he is my coach. It was my brothers that motivated me to start judo, and I watched many videos and saw the beauty of the sport, it was strange to my friends, they asked why I was doing this sport, I am girl and they thought I would be like a man!
For me though, this sport called to me, it wasn’t just because of my family but I really feel it. It is not just a sport to me, it’s my whole lifestyle. I haven’t just learned how to fight but I learned respect and how to be a good person. Maybe an injury can stop me but I will learn to overcome it, these situations apply in your everyday life. I can say, my sisters don’t do judo anymore but they’re very strong women, they can go anywhere and do anything.
So how is the young judoka finding the esteemed OTC in Mittersill?
This is my first Olympic camp, it is such a pleasure to be here, around Olympic, World and European Champions, it is a feeling I cannot describe! For me, there is no better place to start achieving my goals. After this camp I think I have a better understanding of judo and have a kind of feel for how it should be, I can see how other girls are training and I am taking a lot from here. I actually cannot wait to fight these experienced athletes, but I can say I always have this feeling of nerves in me, but I know if I want to achieve my goals I first need to fight with myself first and then my opponents.
Author: Thea Cowen