Speaking of greats beside table tennis what or who would you like to see at the Olympics?
“I know it will not be possible to watch from the tribunes in Tokyo this year due the COVID measures but I love tennis and basketball ” added JORGIC.
How are your preparations going?
“We cannot speak about specific preparations for the Olympics. Everything we did and what we will do after the qualifications has only one goal – to be ready for Tokyo. In the Bundesliga I am playing for the title in addition I played at the Qatar Contender and at the Star Contender where I reached third position. Now when the tournaments started there is no time for specific Olympic trainings. The final of Bundesliga as well as the LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships offered a perfect warm up for Tokyo ” added JORGIC.
Slovenia will play in the Team’s Event for a first time at the Olympics but still the aims are high.
“Our aim is to present our country in the best possible light. In singles I think I will be in part of the draw between 17th and 32nd position. I hope I will be able to go one step above it and I could reach the Round of 16 at the end.”
JORGIC’s teammate Bojan TOKIC who has already competed at three Olympic Games in Beijing London and Rio is providing useful experience for JORGIC.
“It is always good to have someone with experience near you; someone who already been there and knows all procedures. For me everything will be new in Tokyo ” stated TOKIC.
Last January at the Olympic Team’s Qualifications in Portugal Slovenia’s table tennis team set another milestone: for the first time in history the team qualified for an Olympic Games. Darko JORGIC Bojan TOKIC and Deni KOZUL will represent their country at the greatest of all sports events in Tokyo this summer.
The ETTU spoke with JORGIC to get his thoughts on competing at Tokyo 2020.
“The feeling when we qualified was incredible. It was my dream come true ” said JORGIC. “To make it even greater I was the part of the success that launched the team at Olympics for a first time in history. It also opened the door for me in singles. It is hard to describe that feeling.”
The Olympic Games is something special in the life of any athlete.
“They happen only once every four years. It is the crown of the career for every top athlete but not only that…being in the presence of so many greats from other sports gives you a once in a lifetime experience. That is my first thought when I think of Olympics – all the best sport can offer in the same place ” JORGIC added.
