Serbia’s Brankica Mihajlovic is one of four players remaining from Serbia's London Olympics roster in 2012, a time when the team started to step up its ambitions in women’s volleyball.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Volleyball
Mihajlovic: We give 100 per cent
Serbia earning the fruits of their labour since London 2012
Published 07:00, 31 Jul 2021
“In 2012, some new names came and we needed some time to get that experience, to live with each other, and to feel each other,” Mihajlovic explained.
“From 2014 to 2015 we started to succeed with this team. There’s a lot of hard work behind us, a lot of sacrifices in order to become world champions, European champions. We are very hungry for success.”
Their success in women’s volleyball has indeed required sacrifices, and the outside hitter identified at least one.
“Summer,” Mihajlovic jested.
“No, it's not really a sacrifice, we are doing this because we love it. Playing for your national team against different countries is a different level, with different emotions and different feelings. We give our 100 per cent when we are on the court."
But somehow her statement about missing summer rings true. It is during summers that her team has enjoyed its biggest successes so far, a silver medal at Rio 2016 (even if that was in the Southern Hemisphere), and two years later a World Championship title in Japan.
In Tokyo, the Serbian team has enjoyed a perfect start with Mihajlovic as the top scorer in their latest match against Kenya.
She said that competitiveness is innate in their Serbian sporting heritage and is what she and her teammates want to build on in the Japanese capital.
“We are talented as a sporting nation. We always want to prove ourselves through success and we are aiming for that here.”