It isn’t a medal around his neck, but for Leko BRDAROVSKI, it’s something much better. One of the great past times for athletes, spectators and volunteers alike is the traditional swapping of National Olympic Committee pins.
Surely one of the most successful collectors so far in the European Youth Olympic Festival, Leko has secured a variety of 52 pins so far, missing only Monaco and Andorra – so if anyone has one, find him at the judo event! Not only that, but he has an abundance of signatures covering his uniform.
Though many were collected in the opening ceremony and even the airport as the teams arrived in Skopje, North Macedonia, one pin was earned through a challenge.
My Hungarian pin came from a basketball 3×3 player, he said if I could make the dunk then he’d give me the pin, so I did it and here it is!
Some of the pins are even pretty rare or aren’t specific to this event, he managed to track down a Team Germany pin that came from a Handball event, and added a 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games one to his collection from Team Azerbaijan. It is something he can keep forever and look back on these wonderful memories he made in his home country when they hosted this tremendously successful event.
The young judoka hails from Karpos Judo Master club, coached by the EYOF Competition Manager, Goran MICKOSKI,
This is a great experience for him, to see the high level judo, meet the athletes, like when he joined our club, he was able to train with an Olympian, Edi SHERIFOVSKI, and now he’s volunteering at a Youth Olympic Festival. He is one of the youngest volunteers in the whole event and usually they’re 16 years old, but he asked to be a part of the judo.
Many aspects of this event will impact and shape his sporting experience and likely his passion for the sport and desire to be part of this environment, we may even see him on the tatami one day!
Author: Thea Cowen