13 minute read
BARBARA MATIĆ
Fotografije / Photos: Ivo Čagalj / PIXSELL HJS/IJF
BARBARA MATIĆ NJEŽAN PUT MEDITERANA MEDITERRANEAN GENTLE WAY
Prva hrvatska svjetska prvakinja u džudu za naš magazin govori o svojim strastima i izazovima, džudu kao stilu života First Croatian world judo champion talks to us about her passions and challenges, judo as a lifestyle and other topics
Prema riječima oca džuda Kanōa Jigorōa: „Judo je put do najučinkovitijeg korištenja fizičke i duhovne snage. Uvježbavajući vas u napadima i obrani, oplemenjuje vaše tijelo i vašu dušu i pomaže vam da duhovnu bit džuda učinite dijelom svojeg bića. Tako se možete usavršiti i pridonijeti svijetu nešto vrijedno. To je konačni cilj džuda kao discipline.” U čari te prekrasne borilačke vještine kao klinka se zaljubila i Barbara Matić. Prva hrvatska svjetska prvakinja u džudu za naš je magazin progovorila o najvećim izazovima karijere, tatamiju kao načinu života, moru i Mediteranu. According to the father of Judo, Kanō Jigorō: 'Judo is the way to the most effective use of both physical and spiritual strength. By training you in attacks and defences, it refines your body and your soul and helps you make the spiritual essence of Judo a part of your being. In this way you are able to perfect yourself and contribute something of value to the world. This is the final goal of Judo discipline.' Barbara Matić is one of the people who fell in love with the magic of this beautiful martial art as a kid. The first Croatian world judo champion talks to us about the biggest challenges of her career, judo as a way of life, the sea and the Mediterranean.
Kako ste se počeli baviti džudom? Bilo je to u prvom razredu osnovne škole na splitskim Pujankama kada su treneri Vladimir i Slavko Preradović došli na sat tjelesnog i pokazali nam džudo. Više od 20 godina poslije oni su mi i dalje treneri i gradimo lijepu priču. Svidjelo mi se jer sam se družila sa super ljudima, putovala, razvijala se, treninzi su bili raznoliki i sve sam uklopila u svoj život. Zna se spomenuti da sam odabrala džudo umjesto baleta, ali tada su to bile jedine dvije aktivnosti u sklopu OŠ Pujanki i ja sam se odlučila za džudo jer sam bila mala bucka i nisam se vidjela u haljinicama kako plešem. Odmah mi se svidjelo na tom pokaznom satu, došla sam kući i rekla mami: „Ja hoću trenirati džudo”. I to je bilo to.
Osvojili ste prvu seniorsku medalju za hrvatski džudo. I to svjetsko zlato. Možete li se prisjetiti kakav je osjećaj stajati na najvišoj stepenici pobjedničkog postolja? Kad se toga sjetim, prođu me trnci i ispune me emocije. Nestvarno i prekrasno. Ostvarenje najljepših snova koje će nadjačati samo sreća i zadovoljstvo ako osvojim olimpijsku medalju, nadam se zlato, u Parizu 2024. godine. Slušati svoju himnu na najvećem natjecanju na svijetu, okružena vrhunskim džudašicama, sa spoznajom da ću uvijek biti prva svjetska prvakinja iz Hrvatske u džudu... Za to se živi i trenira. Prisjetila sam se svih izazova, napora, odricanja, dragih ljudi koji su mi bili i jesu potpora.
How did you start practising judo? It was in the first year of primary school, in the Pujanke quarter of Split, when coaches Vladimir and Slavko Preradović came to one of our PE classes to present judo to us. More than 20 years later, they are still my coaches and we are making nice things happen. I liked judo because I could hang out with cool people, travel, grow; the training was diverse and I fit it all into my life. You can hear sometimes that I chose judo over ballet, but back then they were the only two activities in the Pujanke Primary School and I opted for judo because I was a chubby kid and I didn't see myself dancing in tutus. I immediately liked what I saw in that demonstration class. I came home and said to my mum, 'I want to practise judo'. And that was it.
You won the first senior judo medal for Croatia – the world gold. Can you remember what it's like to stand on the highest step of a winners' podium? When I think of it now, I get goosebumps and I'm overcome with emotion. It's surreal and beautiful. It's the most beautiful dream come true, a feeling which can only be surpassed by happiness and satisfaction at winning the Olympic medal, hopefully the gold one in Paris in 2024. To listen to the national anthem in the world's biggest competition, surrounded by top judokas, knowing that I would always be the first world judo champion from Croatia... That's what you live and train for. I remem-
Toliko toga prođe kroz glavu, a što teško možete verbalizirati, nego samo pokažete uz osmijeh i suze radosnice.
Jeste li oduvijek znali da vam je suđeno da ostvarite velika postignuća? Oduvijek vjerujem u sebe i shvatila sam u najranijoj dobi da sam uporna, spremna na rad i konstantan napredak. Isto tako ne zadovoljavam se prosječnim tako da sam znala da ciljam na najveće rezultate i postignuća. Već na prvim natjecanjima bila sam uspješna te su mi izvrsnost i penjanje na najvišu stepenicu postolja postali ljestvica prema kojoj mjerim vlastito postignuće. Uz to nešto što imam urođeno, dodala sam još mnogo više uz rad, trud i zalaganje i taj je spoj rezultirao velikim postignućima. Samo što nisam tip sportašice koja se zadovolji učinjenim, nego znam koliko imam još potencijala i odmah nakon svjetskog zlata nastavila sam raditi da budem još bolja i kvalitetnija džudašica i osoba.
Najteži i najsretniji trenutak karijere i zašto? Najteži je trenutak uvijek ozljeda, kao u 2016. godini, kada na svoje prve Olimpijske igre (Rio de Janeiro) nisam otišla potpuno spremna, a zatim sam u rujnu iste godine zadobila ozljedu koljena na Grand Prixu Zagreb. U tim ste trenucima nemoćni jer nije sve u vašim rukama i onda je najvažnije dobro psihološki ući u razdoblje oporavka i vratiti se potpuno spremni. Najsretniji mi je svjetsko zlato, kao i još nekoliko uspjeha, poput prvog naslova svjetske juniorske prvakinje (bila sam dva puta svjetska juniorska prvakinja – prvi put 2013. u Ljubljani i drugi put 2014. u Fort Lauderdaleu) kada je sestra Brigita bila sa mnom (i ona je bila tada brončana u svojoj kabered all the challenges, efforts, sacrifices, nice people who were, and still are, supportive of me. So much goes through your head, which is hard to put into words, so you just show it with a smile and tears of joy.
Have you always known that you were destined to achieve great things? I have always believed in myself and I realised from an early age that I was persistent, ready to work hard and to make constant improvements. Also, I saw that I wasn't settling for the average, and I knew I was aiming for the highest scores and achievements. I was already successful in my first competitions, and then excellence and the top step of the podium became a measure for my own achievement. In addition to something I have inborn, I added a lot more, through work, effort and commitment, and then this whole mix brought about great results. Only, I'm not the type of athlete who settles for what's been done; I know how much more potential I have in me, so after winning the world gold I immediately started to practise in order to be an even better and finer judoka and a person as a whole.
The hardest and happiest moments of your career, and why? The most difficult moment is always injury, and this was 2016 for me, when I went to my first Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro without being fully ready because of an injury, and then, in September of the same year, I suffered a knee injury at the Zagreb Grand Prix. In those moments you are powerless because everything is out of your hands, and the most important thing then is to have good
tegoriji i ekipno smo bile brončane). I taj turnir ostao mi je u lijepom pamćenju i s posebno emotivnim i vatrenim dočekom u Splitu, na Pujankama.
Možete li svojim riječima opisati što vam znači džudo? Opis džuda na svjetskoj razini jest „više od sporta”, a meni je džudo stil života. Osim što na japanskom znači „nježan put”, vidjela sam toliko djece i mladih koji zbog džuda dobiju kvalitetnije postavke u životu – od poštovanja drugih svojih godina, starijih osoba, trenera i sudaca do poštovanja treninga i rada. Nedavno je Međunarodna judo federacija nominirala moje osvajanje svjetskog zlata među pet najdogađaja u džudaškoj godini. Kada vidite da su među tim događajima situacije kada protivnice na tatamiju pomažu jedna drugoj i pokazuju koliko poštuju jedna drugu, to je najbolji pokazatelj što je džudo. Preko džuda upoznala sam prekrasne ljude, prijatelje i prijateljice za cijeli život i stekla kvalitetne radne navike.
Što se s tatamija može primijeniti u svakodnevnom životu? Džudo me naučio da više toga mogu istrpjeti, ali bez trpljenja, nego prihvaćanjem. Viši je prag tolerancije, veća je koncentracija, ne reagira se na sitnice, pogotovo na ono na što se ne može utjecati. Džudo ima moralni kodeks koji se sastoji od osam vrlina: čast, hrabrost, iskrenost, poštovanje, prijateljstvo, pristojnost, samokontrola i skromnost. Sve je to iznimno potrebno i primjenjivo u svakodnevnom životu, tako da su mi svaki trening i svaki izazov na tatamiju donijeli i mnogo toga za život izvan tatamija. Diplomirali ste na Fakultetu elektrotehnike, strojarstva i brodogradnje u Splitu. Koliko je bilo teško uskladiti sport i fakultet? Često me pitaju o tome uz opis da je to odricanje. Ne gledam to sve kao odricanje, nego stil života koji volim i u kojem želim biti najbolja. Uživam i u napornom treningu i u putovanjima. Naravno da mi nije sve u točno tom trenutku gušt, ali kada promotrim sve iz šire slike, užitak je cijeli proces koji vodi do uspjeha. Sve se može uskladiti, pogotovo što sam imala veliko razumijevanje čelnih ljudi psychological strategies during rehabilitation and to come back fully ready. My happiest moment is the world's gold, as well as a few other successes, for example, winning the first world junior title. I am a two-time world junior champion: I won the first title in Ljubljana in 2013 and the second in Fort Lauderdale in 2014, when my sister, Brigita, was also there (and won bronze in her category), and we won the bronze medal as a team. I remember this contest fondly, particularly the emotional and enthusiastic welcome in Split, in Pujanke.
Can you describe in your own words what judo means to you? The description of judo on a global scale is 'More than sport', and to me judo is a lifestyle. Its meaning in Japanese is the 'gentle way', and I have seen many times that practising judo teaches children and young people core values. They develop a sense of respect for their peers, older people, coaches and referees; they start appreciating training and work. Recently, the International Judo Federation nominated my world gold win among the five best events of the judo year. When you see that among these events there are situations when the opponents on the tatami help each other, showing how much they respect each other, then this is the best indication of what judo is. Through judo, I met great people, friends for life, and gained a strong work ethic.
What things that you practise on the tatami can be used in everyday life? Judo taught me that I can put up with more, but without suffering, through acceptance. My tolerance threshold is higher, my concentration is better and I don't react to inconsequential things, especially to those I can't change. Judo has a moral code consisting of eight values: honour, courage, honesty, respect, friendship, courtesy, self-control and modesty. All of them are extremely necessary and can be used in everyday life, so every training and every challenge on the tatami has also brought me a lot that I can apply to life outside judo.
Tata Boris kapetan je broda pa su more i Mediteran duboko utkani u mene i imaju važnu ulogu u mojem životu – od mediteranske hrane preko opuštanja u moru i na suncu, uživanja tijekom ljeta do kave u hladu za gušt
My dad, Boris, is a ship captain, so the sea and the Mediterranean have deeply been woven into me and play an important part in my life: from enjoying the Mediterranean food, relaxing in the sea and the sun, enjoying the summer, to savouring a cup of coffee in the shade
FESB-a i svojih profesora. Također, takva sam da čega se primim to i odradim pa mi nije bio problem učiti na putovanjima ili ne otići na druženje s prijateljima jer mi je uskoro bio ispit. Sad kada sam diplomirala pomažem drugima držeći instrukcije.
Imate li planova nakon sportske karijere? Imati obitelj, djecu i guštati s ostatkom obitelji i prijateljima. I raditi u struci (magistar elektrotehnike).
Naš se magazin, među ostalim, bavi morem i brodovima. Kao rođenoj Splićanki kakvu je ulogu imao Mediteran u vašem životu? Budući da mi je tata Boris profesionalno moreplovac (kapetan broda), more i Mediteran duboko su utkani u mene i imaju važnu ulogu u mojem životu – od mediteranske hrane preko opuštanja u moru i na suncu, uživanja tijekom ljeta i kave u hladu za gušt. Svaki slobodni trenutak iskoristim uz more i na suncu tako da moj život ne bi bio isti da nisam dio mediteranskog štiha.
Imate li neko mjesto na Jadranu koje je baš po vašem guštu i zašto?
Nima Splita do Splita. Proputovala sam zaista mnogo i veselim se svakom novom mjestu, ali biti u Splitu – to je moj najveći gušt. You graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FESB) in Split.
How hard was it to balance sports and studies? I'm often asked about it, the implication being it's a sacrifice. I don't see it as a sacrifice, but a lifestyle that I love and want to be the best in. I enjoy both hard training and travel. Of course, not everything is fun at any given moment, but when I look at a bigger picture, the pleasure of it is in the whole process that leads to success. Everything can be balanced, especially since the management of the FESB and my teachers showed me great consideration. Also, I'm the kind of person who finishes what she's started, so I had no problem studying while travelling, or not meeting my friends because I had to study for an exam. Now that I've graduated, I'm tutoring others.
Do you have plans after your sports career? To have a standard, 'regular' family, children, and to enjoy with my family and friends. And work in my chosen profession (I have a Master's in Electrical Engineering).
Among other things, our magazine is about the sea and boats.
As a native of Split, what role did the Mediterranean have in your life? Since my dad, Boris, is a seaman by profession, a ship captain, the sea and the Mediterranean have deeply been woven into me and they play an important part in my life: from enjoying the Mediterranean food, relaxing in the sea and the sun, enjoying the summer, to savouring a cup of coffee in the shade. I use my every free moment to be near the sea and in the sun, so my whole life would be completely different if there wasn't this Mediterranean touch to it.
Do you have a place in the Adriatic that is just to your liking and why? Split is the best. I have travelled a lot and I look forward to every new place, but being in Split – that's really my thing.
