Vladimir Zivojinovic

The First Serbian Ski jumper

The First Serbian ski jumper - from hand-made slops to the Winter Olympics


For the past year I’ve been following the extraordinary story of Nikola Stevanovic, a 15-year old boy who is convinced he will be the first Olympic ski jumper from Serbia.He and his dedicated father have sacrificed everything to fulfill this dream.

Building hand made tracks, training on make shift slopes with no government support,the two are pursuing the Olympic dream despite the enormous sacrifices

The father and son have let me into their lives, and allowed me to see not just their unique training but their personal lives in Serbia and now Slovenia where Nikola is enrolled in school and training on the mountains.

I intend to follow them in preparation for the 2022 Olympics and present this early work now for your consideration.


Nikola and his father left Serbia and moved to Slovenia, so the boy could train on mountains. 

The First Serbian ski jumper - from hand-made slops to the Winter Olympics


For the past year I’ve been following the extraordinary story of Nikola Stevanovic, a 15-year old boy who is convinced he will be the first Olympic ski jumper from Serbia.He and his dedicated father have sacrificed everything to fulfill this dream.

Building hand made tracks, training on make shift slopes with no government support,the two are pursuing the Olympic dream despite the enormous sacrifices

The father and son have let me into their lives, and allowed me to see not just their unique training but their personal lives in Serbia and now Slovenia where Nikola is enrolled in school and training on the mountains.

I intend to follow them in preparation for the 2022 Olympics and present this early work now for your consideration.

Nikola have training on an improvised device made by his father Nenad. Kostolac, June 2018.


Nikola and his father left Serbia and moved to Slovenia, so the boy could train on mountains. 

Every day after the school, Nikola race a few kilometers and is working on his fitness.

Kranj, Slovenia/2019

The Slovenian Ski Association sent to Nikola a new helmet made according to regulations in the FIS competition, as Nikola could no longer use his old helmet. Nikola is happy all day for the new helmet. 
Kranj, Slovenia/2019

Riding to the ski jump Ljubno, a small town in Slovenia, whose team is one of the most successful in the country. Nikola sits in the back seat of a club van and is nervous before jumping.Kranj, Slovenia/2019

The coach from the club help Nikola to stretch well.Ljubno, Slovenia/2019

Nenad and Nikola in a new apartment in Slovenia where they moved in September 2018 when Nikola started school, spend most of their time in this room when they are not at work or when Nikola is not at training or in school. Upon his arrival in Slovenia, Nenad renounced his job as a professor in high school in Belgrade, because he wants to help his son want to achieve his goal and dream. Nenad now works in a small firm that makes parts for cars, and after working hours he works as a Freelancer web drawing.

Kranj, Slovenia, January 2019

One of the older club members gives advice to Nikola . 
Ljubno, Slovenia/2019

Nikola goes to the elevator that leads to the 80m ski jump from which he needs to jump.

Planica, Slovenia/ 2019

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