Bojan Jovanovic sets his sights on a state high school swimming title.
By CHRIS GIRANDOLA
Published November 18, 2005
[Times photo: Scott Keeler]
Dunedin High School swimmer Bojan Jovanovic practices his breaststroke Tuesday afternoon. He is coming back from a neck injury that threatened to sideline him for the season.
DUNEDIN - A car wreck this summer totaled Bojan Jovanovic's 2000 BMW Z3, hurt his neck and undermined his confidence.
None of that, however, has been enough to keep the Dunedin High School senior out of the state high school swimming championships today and Saturday in Fort Lauderdale.
The dramatic proof of Bojan's return came at the regional meet in Largo on Oct. 29.
"I'm back," he said after winning the 100-yard breaststroke in the Class 2A, Region 3 finals.
The 17-year-old finished the race in a blistering season-best time of 57.77 seconds, nearly 2 seconds faster than the next-fastest competitor, Freedom High School senior Michael Silva.
Bojan said he felt good in the preliminary swim, but it wasn't until he dived in during the finals that he knew how well he would do.
"Once I started swimming, I sensed it," he said. Bojan also qualified for the state meet in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing second to Michael Silva, as well as for the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard IM relay.
Bojan's father, Dusko Jovanovic, signed up his eldest son for a swim team at age 9 for the sole purpose of learning how to swim. Dusko had played professional soccer in Serbia for 10 years before serving as a general in the Serbian army. The family came to the United States seven years ago, partly because it had a lot of relatives in the U.S., partly for the swimming.
Bojan attended the prestigious Mercersburg Academy in southern Pennsylvania, but his father knew moving to Florida would be the best for his swimming career.
"This is a sacrifice that I was willing to make," said Jovanovic, who now works for an air conditioning company. He moved to the Dunedin area with his wife, Suzana, and Bojan's younger brother.
And, as Bojan has demonstrated, it's a sacrifice well worth taking.
Along with his success in high school competition, Bojan has competed for the Serbian national team and plans to continue to do so after graduating. He also hopes to compete in the world championships in March in China.
Five months ago, however, Bojan was in a car accident that put his season in jeopardy. He wiped out his motorcycle, escaping serious injury. He also faced some emotional challenges.
"I've worked with some elite athletes in the sport, including Greg Louganis, and I rank Bojan right up there with them as far as his talent and his approach to training and competition," said Dunedin coach Carol Kelly, who coached in Mission Viejo, Calif., for 20 years before coming to Florida. "More than anything, the injury and accident demoralized him. He felt like he had ruined his career."
Some specialists advised Bojan to stay out of the water for at least a month. Instead, he jumped in the pool a day after visiting his doctors and started a leg-training session that he used for the whole month of June while his neck and shoulder healed.
Bojan, who now drives a Geo Metro, recovered throughout the early part of the high school season. He also competed against swimmers who weren't as strong as those he would face in the latter part of the season.
But it was just right.
"It gave me an opportunity to race and work the kinks out," he said.
And as he showed last month, he's done just that.
"Bojan has a natural feel for the water," said Palm Harbor coach Lisa Bittings, who just recently started coaching Bojan on her club team, the Palm Harbor Barracudas. "He has an intangible quality, combined with his talent and commitment, that separates him from the rest. It's similar to all the great athletes who achieve the best."
Bojan, who finished the regular season undefeated in the breaststroke, swept through the Pinellas County Athletic Conference, the district and regional competitions in amazing fashion, lowering his time in each meet. His goal for the state meet: 55 seconds or less.
Now, having recovered fully from his accident, Bojan's biggest challenge is his taste for traditional Serbian cuisine, especially lamb.
"We've been working on him in understanding the importance of the proper diet in preparation for meets," said Kelly, whose daughter, Chris McDonald, is a nutritionist and helps coach with her mom for the Barracudas.
Bojan is committed to being the best, so, yes, as hard as it may be, he has given up lamb for a week.
