Why Ljubljana and Slovenia after all?

Here is how Merlene explains her decision to have come to live in Ljubljana, Slovenia:

"There is a very simple reason for such a decision. Here in Ljubljana I really feel like a "normal", ordinary human being - like any other citizen - which not only means that nobody bothers me here, but mostly means I can relax just like all other people.

I have lived in Monte Carlo for a few years and I've constantly been surrounded and accompanied by celebrities - which was normal, because there are very few ordinary citizens there. And I was constantly exposed and felt certain pressure I didn't really like.

"Here, in Ljubljana I can go anywhere without being bothered, I can freely go to have a cup of coffee - or if I'd like to go to the seaside, I can take a drive - it's only an hour or so from Ljubljana to Piran. What really makes me happy here is the fact there are so many festivals and other cultural events in Ljubljana - quite enough to fulfil all my needs".

Merlene came to Ljubljana a few years ago (in 1998) and as she says, she fell in love with the City itself and the Country. "A love at first sight", she uses to say! And she decided to stay. To be honest, at the very beginning her stay in Ljubljana was closely related mostly to her preparing for the Sydney Olympics - though her participation there was questionable till the end of June 2000, since she's been accused of using forbidden drugs after the Luzern Meeting in 1999.

As we all know now, all the charges were removed and she had been  successful in Sydney by winning another (her 8.th) Olympic medal.

Merlene now lives in Ljubljana, she works here and is getting ready for her last Olympiad in Athens 2004. Meanwhile she became a Slovenian Citizen and our Track & Field National Team Member as well.

Ljubljana, junij 2000

Merlene Ottey's been living in Ljubljana, Slovenia for the last month or so while getting ready to compete at The Olympics though she's not sure whether she'll be given the chance to show her ability to win Olympic medal at 40. Her thoughts are in Monte Carlo, Monaco these days where from June 15 - 17 the IAAF officials will hear her say about unjustified allegations of drug abuse (nandrolone) she's been charged of after the Luzern meeting and just before the last World Championship in Sevilla, Spain.

We've been to one of Merlene's evening training sessions at ŽAK-MASS  stadium in Ljubljana and all the photos at the left show her and her coach Srdjan Djordjevic while working hard on a hot & sunny Saturday evening on the 3.rd and the 30.th of June 2000

Click on thumbnails to enlarge.

Text & photos: Edvard Bogataj