Kat Simonovic: "I'm thankful to my SRB team mates..."

Ms.Katarina Simonovic, Balkan Junior Champion, national record holder and the potential candidate for the membership in the Serbian national team at the upcoming Olympic Games in London 2012 is our guest. Due to the kindness of our great friend and one of the most respectable Serbian swimming coaches - Prof. Branislav Kostic, we’ve linked with Mesa, Arizona (USA) and completed this interview with Katarina Simonovic - new Serbian swim star. Having in mind many interests for Katarina and her successes, not only in Serbia but also worldwide, we prepared the interview simultaneously in English and Serbian. The Swim Star Web Portal expresses the huge gratitude for the time Katarina has spent for this interview.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ G-djica Katarina Simonovic, juniorski sampion Balkana, nacionalni rekorder i potencijalni kandidat u clanstvo Srpskog plivackog tima za predstojecu Olimpijadu u Londonu 2012 danas je nas gost. Zahvaljujuci ljubaznosti naseg velikog prijatelja i jednog od najcenjenijih plivackih trenera Srbije Prof.Baranislava Kostica, omogucen nam je kontakt sa Arizonom (USA) kako bismo realizovali intervju sa Katarinom Simonovic, novom plivackom zvezdom Srbije. Imajuci na umu zaista veliki interes za Katarinom i njenim uspesima, ne samo u Srbiji vec i sirom sveta, ovaj razgovor smo simultano vodili i na srpskom i na engleskom jeziku. Swim Star Web Portal izrazava veliku zahvalnost za verme koje je Katarina izdvojila za intervju.

Pozdrav u toploj Arizoni.. .ovo je nasa dobrodoslica za Katarinu Simonovic, novu srpsku zensku plivacku snagu na najpopularniji web sajt u jugoistocnoj Evropi – Swim Star Web Portal   Hi there in warm Arizona... this is welcome to Katarina Simonovic, new Serbian women's swimming power, to the most popular web site in SE Europe - Swim Star Web Portal... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Hvala, i volela bih da posaljem najlepse zelje svim plivacima u Srbiji. Citam i pratim Swim Star web sajt kako bi pratila sta se desava u plivanju u Evropi. Katarina:  Thanks and I’d like to send best wishes to all the swimmers of Serbia! I read and follow Swim Star’s website to keep up with what’s going on in swimming in Europe.

U redu. Pre svega, hajde da pocnemo od pocetka. Molimo te da nam se predstavis i kazes nam nesto o tome ko je Katarina.   All right. First and foremost, let us start from the beginning. Please introduce yourself and tell us something about who is Katarina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Moje puno ime je Katarina Sasa Simonovic. Rodjena sam u Arizoni 25. Oktobra 1994 godine. Imam sestru Kristinu, koja je 13 meseci mladja od mene. Ona je vrhunska gimnasticarska i zajedno pohadjamo Mountain View srednju skolu u gradu Mesa u Arizoni. Moja majka se zove Ivana i rodjena je u Zrenjaninu, a moj otac Zoran u Beogradu. Imam dobre ocene i odrzavam sve petice, a takodje sam i deo Pocasnog odeljenja. Vredan sam ucenik, ali i devojka koja uvek ima osmeh na licu. U slobodno vreme volim da slusam muziku ili provodim vreme sa svojim prijateljima. Katarina:  My full name is Katarina Sasa Simonovic.  I was born in Arizona on October 25, 1994. I have a younger sister Kristina who is 13 months younger than me.  She is a top level gymnast and we go to school at Mountain View High School in Mesa, Arizona.  My mother Ivana was born in Zrenjanin (SRB) and my father Zoran was born in Beograd. I have good grades, and keep up straight A’s and am also part of the Honor Role class. I’m a hard worker, but a girl who always has a smile on her face. In my free time I like to listen to music or just be with my friends!

Reci nam nesto o tvojim prvim koracima u plivanju, ko je bio tvoj prvi trener i plivacki klub? Mozda nestm o tvom Sun Devil plivackom timu i tvojim  uspesima u SAD, koje si do sada postigla.   How about your first steps in swimming, who was your first coach and swim team? Maybe, something about your Sun Devil Aquatics team and your great achievements in the USA  so far? --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Katarina: Pocela sam da plivam sa osam godina u Sun Devil plivackom timu u kome sam i danas. Moj prvi trener bila je Melisa Belote. Melisa je osvojila tri zlatne medalje na Olimpijskim Igrama 1972 godine u Minhenu i postavila je vise svetskih rekorda. Veoma sam joj zahvalna za osnovnu obuku koja mi je bila neophodna kako bih  uspela u plivanju. Moj trenutni trener je Patrik Neli sa kojim treniram oko tri godine. Patrik je ekspert u svim fazama plivanja. Naucio me je sitnicama koje su neophodne kako bi plivala brze. Podvodni, strategije trke, startovi i protok kroz vodu su samo neke od tih stvari. On trazi puno od nas i ima jako puno uspesnih plivaca koje je on trenirao. Katarina:  I started swimming at the age of 8 and have been with Sun Devil Aquatics since.  My first coach was Melisa Belote.  Melisa won 3 gold medals at the 72’ Munich Olympics and she set numerous world records. I credit her with teaching me the basics that are required to succeed.  My current coach is Patrick Nalley who I have been training with for about 3 years.  Patrick is an expert in all phases of swimming.  He has taught me the little things that are needed to get me to go faster. Underwaters, race strategies, starts, and streamlines just to mention a few.  He demands a lot out of us, and has many successful swimmers that he has coached.     Moj najveci uspesi u Americkom plivanju nadam se tek dolaze, ali do sada, moj najveci uspeh jeste cinjenica da sam plivala u finalima na SAD Drazvnom Juniorskom prvenstvu. Takodje, osvojila sam 200 kraul na Arizona Drzavnom prvenstvu za Srednje skole protiv devojaka koje su 3 godine starije od mene i vrhunske plivacice u SAD. My greatest achievements in USA swimming are hopefully yet to come, but so far, my greatest achievement would be the fact that I have swam in finals at the USA Jr Chams. I also won the 200 Free at the Arizona State High School Championships, against a girl 3 years older than me, who is a top level swimmer in the USA.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina with her US swimming coaches - Skip Bryan (left) and Patrick Nalley (right)...

Prosle godine srpska plivacka javnost imala je zadovljstvo da te vidi kako plivas na Drzavnom prvenstvu 2009 godine u Obrenovcu. Tamo si osvojila nekoliko kadetskih i juniorskih titula i postavila nekoliko drzavnih rekorda. Plivala si kao clan Plivackog Kluba  Proleter Zrenjanin?   Last year Serbian swim audience had a pleasure to see your swimming at the National Championships 2009 held in the town of Obrenovac. There, you picked up several cadet/junior titles and you set new national standards. You appeared there as a member  of the SC Proleter Zrenjanin? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Zapravo, ja sam plivala za Proleter od 2007 godine. Moja majka je odrasla u Zrenjaninu i zivela 500 metara od bazena gde Proleter trenira. Kada sam dosla u Srbiju na leto, odsela sam kod moje ujne i ujaka Marije i Ozrenka Veselinovica koji takodje zive blizu bazena. Cula sam o timu i nisam htela da propustim trening tokom leta. Pridruzila sam se timu da ostanem u dobroj formi i jednostavno se zaljubila u njih.  Katarina:  Actually, I have been swimming for Proleter since 2007.  My Mother grew up in Zrenjanin and lived 500 meters from the pool, where Proleter trains.  When I go to Srbija in the summer, I stay with my Aunt and Uncle Marija and Ozrenko Veselinovic who also live near the pool. I heard about the team, and didn’t want to miss out on training over the summer. I joined the team to stay in good shape, and simply fell in love with them.   Sto se tice rekorda, ponosna sam na tu cinjenincu i smatram to za veliku cast! As far as records, I’m proud of the achievements and consider it a honor to have them!   Interesantna je prica kako su mi se ukrstili putevi sa Prof. Branislavom Kosticem Koletom. Ja sam jako srecna da plivam pod nadzorom najpametnijeg i najiskusnijeg plivackog trenera u Srbiji. Tehnicki on je nenadmasan i ima koncept koji prenosi na mene. Kada objasnjava na cemu treba da radim, ja vrlo jednostavno i lako popravim to sta treba. Rekao mi je da sam jedan od najbrzih ucenika sa kojim je ikada radio. Mi se prosto slazemo savrseno. Posvecuje mi individualnu paznju koju ne mogu da dobijem u SAD, dok moj trener ovde u Arizoni Patrik Neli daje trening velikog inteziteta koji tesko da mogu da dobijem u Srbiji. Kombinujuci ova dva modela, mislim da mi to najvise i pomaze. This is also I how my path crossed with Prof. Branislav Kostic, “Kole”.  I was very fortunate to swim with what I believe is the most knowledgeable and experienced coach in Serbia.  He is technically unmatched and has a way of transferring the concept to me. When he explains what I need to work on, I easily understand and correct what it is that I need to. He has told me that I’m one of the fastest learners that he has ever worked with. We simply click.  He gives me the individual attention that I cannot get in the USA, while my coach here in Arizona, Patrick Nalley, gives me intense training that I can’t really get in Srbija.  I think that this combination is what helps me the most.   Takodje, imala sam srece da plivam sa najboljim talentima koje Srbija ima i mnogo naucila od njih. Videla sam kolicinu rada koji je neophodan da bi bio vrhunski plivac poput Ivana Lendjera, Cabe Siladjija i Minje Najdanovski. Naucila sam i od Nadje Higl kako da dosegnem svoje snove i radim neumorno da ostvarim moje ciljeve i nadam se da cu pratiti put Milorada Cavica koji je utaban za srpsku omladinu. I have also been lucky to swim with the best talents that Srbija has, and have learned from them.  I have seen the amount of work that is required to be a top level swimmer from Ivan Lendjer, Caba Siladji, and Minja Najdanovski.  I learned from Nadja Higl how to reach for my dreams and work tirelessly to get to my goals, and hope to follow the road that Milorad Cavic has paved for the Serbian youth.

Nakon sto si ove godine skrenula paznju na sebe  svojim fantasticnim vremenima, vratila si se u SAD kao nova srpska plivacka zvezda. Reci nam nesto o tvom plivackom angazmanu kuci..   After you brought attention this year to your extraordinary times, you went back to United States as “a new Serbian star”. Tell us about your swim engagements back home. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Jos uvek sastavljam program za zimsku sezonu. Za sada znam da cu plivati na Drzavnom juniorskom prvenstvu u malim bazenima u Atlanti (Dzordzija) u decembru i na Sampionatu Srednjih skola Arizone u Novembru. Takodje, mozda cu plivati na jednom ili dva Grand Prija u 2011 kako bih pokusala da ostvarim kvalifikaciona vremena za Svetsko Prvenstvo u Kini. Katarina:  I am still putting together a program for this winter season.  For now, I know that I will be swimming at the Short Course Jr. National Championships in Atlanta, Georgia in December and the Arizona State High School Championships in November.  I will probably swim at one or two Grand Prix in 2011 to try and get the qualifying time for the World Championships in China.

.Balkansko Juniorsko prvenstvo 2010 odrzano u Bugarskoj postavilo te je u plivacku elitu Jugo-istocne Evrope. Prema prijavljenim vremenima ocekivali smo jednu ili dve medalje od tebe. Koliko si imala medalja na kraju? Dva drzavana juniorska rekorda su vrlo dobro zapamcena – 200 kraul (2:04.78) i 50 delfin (0:28.32). The Balkan Junior Championships 2010 held in Bulgaria placed you in the elite of the South-Eastern Europe. According to the entered times, we expected only one or two medals from you. How many you collected at the end? Two individual NJR were clearly remembered - 200 free (2:04.78) and 50 fly (28.32). --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Katarina:  To je bilo sjajno takmicenje za mene. Odlazeci tamo, bila sam ubedjena da imam sanse u dve discipline i ocekivala sam da zavrsim u prve tri u svih sest trka. Nisam znala sta da ocekujem od stafeta. Ali na kraju, osvojila sam sve individualne trke i nas tim je osvojio sve tri stafete. Ukupno to je bilo 9 zlatnih medalja koje sam osvojila  u okrilju svih Balkanskih zemalja. Veoma sam ponosna na cinjenicu da sam uspela u tome. Mogu vam reci da ovo sve ne bih mogla da ostvarim da nije bilo mojih drugova i drugarica iz nacionalnog tima. Navijali su za mene da pobedim u svim mojim trkama, i sigurna sam da ne bih mogla da osvojim sve medalje bez njihove podrske. Juniorski tim koji sam upoznala na ovom takmicenju je bio sjajan. Svaka osoba u timu je postala moj dobar prijatelj. Oni su sjajna ekipa i super prijatelji. A sto se tice rekorda koje sam postavila, jako sam srecna i pomalo iznenadjena da sam ih pomerila. Ohrabrujem devojke da dodju do mojih vremena i sruse moje rekorde kao sto sam ja uradila sa onim starijim. Katarina:  This was a great meet for me.  Going into the meet, I was convinced that I had a chance to win 2 events and I expected to finish top three in all six of my events.  I didn’t know what to expect from the relays.  As it turned out, I won all of my individual events, and our team won all the relays. It was a total of 9 gold medals I won, competing against all of the Balkan countries.  I am very proud that I was able to accomplish this.  I can tell you that I wouldn’t have been able to do this if it wasn’t for my teammates. They cheered me on to win all of my events, and I know that I wouldn’t have won any if it wasn’t for them. The Jr. team I met for this meet was incredible. Every single person on the team ended up being a good friend of mine. They’re such a great crowd and awesome friends to have! As for the records I set, I’m really happy and surprised that I broke them. I encourage girls to reach for my time and try and break my record, as I did for the ones older than me.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leader at the Balkan Junior Championships - named as a best swimmer in 2010...

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Top position at the Balkan Junior Champs 2010  in the women's 4x100 medley relay - 4:24.78 (Photo by V.Ristic)

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Reci nam nesto o Evropskom Juniorskom prvenstvu u Helsinkiju 2010 godine. Kako ti se cinilo tvoje ucesce? Srpski plivacki selektor Vladimir Ristic izrazio je divljenje tvojom motivacijom pred svaku trku na tom Sampionatu i tvojom velikom dozom uticaja na ceo tim. Ali, nekoliko dana pred Helsinki ti si bila van bazena zbog prehlade?   Tell us something about the Helsinki EJC 2010? How did you see your participation? The SRB national coach Vladimir Ristic expressed the admiration about your motivation for every race in this Championships and your great influence on the entire team. However, few days prior to Helsinki you were out of pool because of some flu? --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Bila sam jako bolesna nedelju dana tokom na pripremama pred Helsinki. Moji prijatelji iz tima iz Bugarske i Helsinkija su bili divni. Uzivala sam u prijateljstvu koje se svakako odrazilo i na moja dobra vremena. Plivala sam najbolje u velikom bazenu u Helsinkiju i bila sam iznenadjena zbog toga jer sam bila bolesna u medjuvremenu. Imala sam neverovatno visoke temperature koje su mi se cinile da ce samo rasti. Tokom naseg boravka u Krusevcu, moja temperatura je bila skoro 40 stepeni. Lezala sam u krevetu cetiri dana i nisam uopste trenirala. Osecala sam se jako slabo i moji ciljevi za Helsinki su se spustili na toliko da samo pokusam da isplivam najbolje sto mogu. Bila sam jako zabrinuta da ne obrukam nas tim. Kada smo dosli tamo, spustila sam glavu i ipak oborila novi record. Plivala sam jako dobro i uspela da udjem u finale na 200 kraul i osvojila sedmo mesto! Mnogo sam ljudi ucinila ponosnim taj dan.  Katarina:  I was very sick for about 1 week when I was at camp in preparation for Helsinki.  My teammates in both Helsinki and Bulgaria were great.  I enjoy there friendships and it shows in my swimming results.  I had my best result of the Long Course Season in Helsinki and I was surprised because I had been so sick. I had insanely high temperatures that seemed to keep rising. During our training trip in Krusevac, my temperature was about 39.8. I laid in bed for 4days straight and didn’t train at all. I was very week, and my goals for Helsinki lowered to only trying to swim a best time or two. I was really worried that I would embarrass our team. When we got there, I put my head down, and broke yet another record. I swam really well, made finals in the 200free, and got 7th place! I made a lot of people proud that day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina prior to the preliminaries in the women's 200 free (2:04.25) where she ranked 3rd overall  for Semi Finals at the Helsinki 2010 European Junior Championships...

Olimpijske Igre za mlade u Singapuru 2010 godine bile su jos jedno novo veliko internacionalno iskustvo i izazov za tebe. Reci nam tvoje utiske i komentar na tvoja ostvarena vremena Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010 were another great  new international experience and challenge for you. Tell us about your impressions, and give us comment on your achieved results. --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Olimpijske Igre u Singapuru su bili iskustvo koje cu pamtiti do kraja zivota. Bila je neverovatna cast da reprezentujem moju zemlju. Olimpijski komitet Srbije napravio je ugodan ambijent. Moje nezaboravno iskustvo je svakako bilo svecano otvaranje. Gledajuci sve oko mene nateralo me je da shvatim koliku vaznost Olimpijada nosi sa sobom. Otvorilo mi je oci i bio je poziv na budjenje, koji me je potsetio na to koliko sam se popravila i koliko je 2012. godina jako blizu. Katarina:  The Youth Olympic Games were the  experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.  It was a tremendous honor to represent my country.  The Serbian Olympic committee created such an environment. My most memorable experience; however, was definitely the opening ceremony. Seeing everything happen in person made me realize how big of a deal the whole Olympic thing really was. It opened my eyes and was a real wake up call, reminding me how much I was improving, and how close 2012 is coming.     Na zalost, ponovo sam se razbolela u Singapuru tokom Igara i timski lekar mi je rekao da necu biti u mogucnosti da plivam ako se moja temperatura ne spusti ispod 37.5 celzjusa. Dva dana pre moje trke, temperatura mi se podigla na preko 39 stepeni opet. Moji rezultati nisu bili ono sto sam zelela. Ocekivala sam da cu uci u finale na 200 kraul. Na kraju, temperatura se spustila i uspela sam da maker ucestvujem na Igrama. Srecom, nadam se da je ovo samo pocetak mog Olimpijskog putovanja i trudicu se da radim vredno kako bih uspela da se plasiram za igre u Londonu 2012. Unfortunately, I again became ill in Singapore and the team doctor told me I would not be able to swim if my temperature did not come down to 37.5 Celsius. Two days before my race, my temperatures exceeded 39 degrees yet again. My results were not what I wanted.  I was expecting to make it to finals in the 200 Free. In the end, my temperature came down and I got to participate in the Games. Fortunately, I hope that this is the beginning of my Olympic Journey and I will look to work hard to make it to London in 2012.     Veoma je tesko recima opisati osecaj ponosa (i pritiska) kada komentator na bazenu najavi “u stazi 7 predstavljajuci Srbiju...” Taj osecaj je vredan svakog treninga koji sam ikada otplivala u tom momentu! It is very hard to put into words the feeling of pride (and pressure) when a announcer says “ In lane 7 representing Srbija…..”  it is worth every meter of every practice that I have ever swam to be able to experience that moment!  Katarina Simonovic (right) and Marija Joksimovic (team mate) with the YOG 2010's mascote...

Koji su tvoji planovi za predstojecu sezonu? U srednjeskolskom plivanju, u radu u klubu u SAD ? Takodje, da li imas neke planove za predstojece Evropsko Juniorsko prvenstvo u Beogradu 2011 godine ? Nadamo se da ce ovo mozda biti tvoji glavni ciljevi sledece sezone ? What are your plans for the upcoming season? In the HS swimming, within the club's engagement in the USA, also have you got any idea about the next European Junior Champs Belgrade 2011? Hope this might be your main goal in the next season? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina: Planiram da plivam 200 kraul i 500 kraul (yd) na Sampionatu srednjih skola u Arizoni. Na zalost, mislim da necu moci da plivam na Evropskom Juniorskom u Beogradu jer cu biti starija od moguce uzrasne kategorije. Ali ja u svakom slucaju planiram da ucestvujem na Svetskom prvenstvu u Sangaju (Kina) ukoliko uspem da se kvalifikujem, kao i na Svetskom Juniorskom prvenstvu u Peru 2011. Katarina:  I plan on swimming the 200 Free and 500 Free at the High School Championships.  I unfortunately do not believe that I can swim at the EJC in Beograd because I’ll be too old.  I do however plan on swimming the World Championships in China if I qualify and at the World Youth Swimming Championships in Peru in 2011.

Posto smo sigurni da ces imati mnogo takmicenja u SAD, praticemo tvoje rezultate i sva tvoja dostignuca. Pa te molimo da namnakon tih takmicenja posaljes slike  i izvestaje kako bismo ih predstavili nasoj plivackoj javnosti. Da li ste ti i tvoj trener napravili okvir za ucesce na takmicenjima u predstojecoj zimskoj sezoni? As we are sure that you will have many competitions in the USA, we will follow your results and all your swim achievements there. So, after the meetings, we would ask you to send us some images and news as soon as it can be possible. Have you or your coach made some frame for participations in the events within the winter period? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Nemam isplaniran kalendar takmicenja osim Drzavnog Juniorskog prvenstva 2011 i prvenstva srednjih skola Arizone. S druge strane, razgovaracu sa Koletom o predstojecim takmicenjima u velikim bazenima u 2011 godini u Evropi i isplaniracemo ih zajednicki. Katarina:  I do not have a schedule other than the Short Course Junior Nationals for 2010 and the 2011 Arizona High School State Championships.  I will discuss with Kole what we need to do for the upcoming 2011 long course season and plan accordingly.

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Na kraju, izrazavamo ti veliku zahvalnost za tvoje izdvojeno vreme koje si provela za nas intervju. Nastavi sa plivanjem. Srbija ce se ponositi svojom NOVOM PLIVACKOM ZVEZDOM! At the end, we express our huge gratitude for you kindness and the time you spent for this interview. Go ahead in swimming. Serbia will be delighted with its NEW SWIM STAR!  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katarina:  Hvala vama sto ste izdvojili vremena za ovaj intervju samnom. Bilo mi je zadovoljstvo i nadam se da cemo uskoro ponovo pricati! Hvala za podrsku i nadam se da cemo se cuti uskoro! Hvala! Katarina:  Thank you very much for the time you took to interview me! It’s my pleasure, and hope to talk to you guys soon! Thanks for the support, and with luck, will hear from you again! Thanks!

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