Njegoš Mihajlović, athlete leader and Special Olympics medallist has become the first person with intellectual disabilities to enrol in a University in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 19-year-old athlete and skier has been accepted into the Faculty of Sports of Pan-European University Apeiron in Banja Luka, where he hopes to learn about Sports Science in order to become a professional trainer and transfer his knowledge to people with and without disabilities.
Njegoš – who is experienced in skiing, running and long jump with Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina – has competed internationally on numerous occasions, including at the Special Olympics World Winter Games Austria 2017 and Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, at which he won bronze in the 400m race! In Abu Dhabi, he also participated in the Global Youth Leadership Summit, which no doubt cemented his commitment to spreading the message of inclusion and leading by example.
Njegoš has now been awarded a one-year scholarship for the four-year Sports Science programme and wanted to express his gratitude to Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as to the Dean of the Faculty of Sports and the Director of Pan-European University Apeiron for giving him the chance to prove that people with intellectual disabilities have the talent and strength to overcome obstacles and fulfil their dreams.
He said, “I love sports and having the chance to become a coach is a dream come true for me. I want to thank Kada Delic Selimovic [National Director, Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina] and Director Sinisa Aleksic and Dean Velibor Srdic for believing in me.”
Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina announced this wonderful news on 3 November 2020 and Njegoš’s story is already gaining media attention in the country’s top outlets!
