Marko Mažar, the sole representative of Serbia at the World Winter Swimming Championship in Finland, achieved impressive results. He competed in the 50-meter freestyle event and the shorter 25-meter distance, finishing third in his group and 15th overall.
Although not a professional swimmer, Mažar stood shoulder to shoulder with world and Olympic champions, as well as Guinness record holders. He proudly represented Serbia, and many believe that the name of the young man from Belgrade will continue to rise.
In the 50-meter race, Mažar had a strong start and kept pace with his competitors, but halfway through he experienced problems.
“Cramps hit my quadriceps, something that’s never happened before. We assume it was a combination of swimming the first 25 meters too hard and the extreme water conditions – minus 0.5 degrees, while the temperature in Oslo was minus 20 degrees. Some competitors collapsed and barely survived,” Mažar told Sportski žurnal.
He added that at one point he thought he had a muscle tear.
“At first, I thought my muscle had torn and I felt paralyzed; a little panic set in. I’m stubborn by nature and didn’t want to give up or call for help, so I continued swimming using only my upper body,” he explained.
In the 25-meter race, he was initially placed fourth but was later corrected to third.
“The video clearly shows I was convincingly third. The race was very close. The rule is to press a spot to record the time, but I wasn’t aware the race was ending and didn’t touch the pad correctly, so my time was recorded incorrectly, placing me officially fourth,” Mažar said.
The situation drew comparisons to the famous Olympic final between Milorad Čavić and Michael Phelps. After reviewing the footage, a final decision was made.
“I went to the VAR room, spoke with the race director, and the video revealed a clear technical error. In the end, justice was served: I finished third in my group and 15th overall out of 2,000 competitors,” he said.
Mažar emphasized his improvement compared to the previous World Championship.
“Besides the results, my technique improved, which was crucial for a better placement. I’m most proud that, unlike the world championship in Slovenia, I experienced only positive nerves and pressure, and I felt mentally more confident in myself,” he noted.
Although a fitness trainer by profession, he plans to devote himself more seriously to swimming.
“I’m not a professional swimmer, just a fitness trainer, so I want to train swimming more seriously and not only for a month before competitions. It’s clear I have potential. My goal is to repeat a Top 3 finish and do even better at the next World Championship,” Mažar concluded.
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Source: Politika, Foto: Privatna arhiva