SERBIA

SERBIA WINS FIVE MEDALS AT FIREFIGHTER COMPETITION IN RUSSIA: Brave Ana Ilić Takes Home the Most Brilliant Award!

by Serbian Times13. August 2025.13. August 2025.

At the prestigious international “Strongest Firefighter-Rescuer” competition in Russia, Serbian firefighters won an impressive five medals. The most brilliant award went to Ana Ilić from Niš. In addition to Ana, medals were also won by firefighters from Jagodina, Kikinda, and Sombor, and the Serbian team finished second in the overall standings.

Wearing her uniform, mask, and heavy equipment, Ana Ilić from Niš won gold against strong competition from firefighters all over the world. The “Strongest Firefighter-Rescuer” competition was held in St. Petersburg, and the Serbian team returned home with five medals. Competitors vied in two categories, “Challenge” and “Leader,” with all exercises simulating real firefighting interventions. Ana excelled in every discipline.

“I had an additional 25 kilograms on my body, plus a 20-kilogram hose on my shoulder. I ran up to the third floor, left the hose, and pulled a 20-kilogram rope to that height. I left the 20 kilograms there, ran down the stairs, and then came the next element where we simulated breaking down a door with a hammer. When the siren sounds, we continued on to a hose. We pulled the hose 23 meters. When we reached the goal, we had to knock down a target with a full jet of water, then we moved on to dragging a dummy, dragging an 85 kg dummy backward for 30 meters,” Ilić explained.

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Ana is a nine-time Serbian weightlifting champion, but she uses her strength not only for medals but also for saving lives every day. “Saving someone’s life is truly precious. We had an apartment fire we were fighting, and we pulled two people out.”

Marko Radovanović, the commander of the fire and rescue brigade in Niš, emphasizes that such results are no accident. “It’s not good to praise ourselves, I know, but I have to say that our firefighter-rescuers are truly dedicated, brave people. People who chose this job, knowing they are risking their health and their lives in the process. These are not people who love putting out fires. These are people who have chosen to protect the lives and health of our fellow citizens and to protect their property above all else,” said Radovanović.