Sports
Snowboarding
Too Strong for the Olympics
08.01.2010
Jure Hafner, 20, is another young gun in the Slovene national snowboarding team. A 15th and a 16th place in the World Cup would have earned him a ticket to the Vancouver Olympic Games but with six qualified snowboarders and only four places allocated to each national team, Slovenes are simply too strong.
“Time is on my side, and if others do a better job I will be happy to congratulate them,” says Hafner, a very mature guy for his age.
He started his career without any particular ambitions. He joined a recreational national competition and, after winning it, he was spotted by Coach Peter Kotnik, who coached him to his greatest success so far – becoming world junior champion in 2008, followed by a bronze medal the following year.
The transition to the World Cup was never expected to be easy but Hafner took the opportunity and (technically) qualified for the Olympic Games. Whether he will actually take part depends on his results before the Games. The other candidates are Rok Flander, Jernej Demšar, Izidor Šušteršič, Žan Košir and Rok Marguč. In Flander, the 2007 world championship in parallel giant slalom, the team could hardly have a better leader.
Despite undisputable talent and successes, the team struggles with finances and team members have to cover part of the costs from their own pockets. However, Hafner does not seem to lament that too much. The same goes for any suggestion of missing teenage life.
“Yes, my friends go out at the weekend, while I know that I have to be 100% fit for the practice the next morning. On the other hand, snowboarding has given me an opportunity to see and experience the world, cultures and languages. It’s a great school for life: it changes your view of the world, small things become important, you learn to make quick decisions in a stressful environment.”
He also quickly dispels the myth that snowboarders are a bunch of easygoing guys, saying, “We might be a little more relaxed than other athletes but being an Olympic sport, snowboarding is still highly competitive. You can only be successful if everything is in its place: the coaching and technical staff as well as your family, friends and personal life in general.”
What gives him the energy to go through his workout schedule when the energy is low? “Every success is a boost. For example, when I was fifth after the first run of a world cup race, it was a signal of what I am capable of although I eventually didn’t quite make it on that occasion. Things like that keep my spirits up.”
With recent intense debate in the Slovene media on whether successful athletes should be entitled to annuities, Hafner can share a view from the beginner’s perspective: “First of all, I do my sport because I love it; however, you sacrifice a lot of your time without any guarantees. When athletes are successful, they are national heroes but when they are not, they are quickly forgotten. I am well aware that education is key and I have every intention of finishing mine. After all, in case of a bad injury, my career can be over tomorrow.”