Last weekend, three people from Širokobrije achieved excellent results in demanding races in Ljubuško and Jajce. Silvije Kutle and Beat Čolak won the podium at the “Two Waterfalls” half-marathon, while Slaven Mustapić had an excellent performance in his first Olympic triathlon.
This past weekend brought great sports news for Široki Brijeg. Two Širokobrijejans, Silvije Kutle and Beat Čolakperformed at the half marathon “Two Waterfalls” as part of Ljubuški Outdoor Festivalwhile Slaven Mustapic performed on Olympic triathlon in Jajce as part of the event Jajce Triathlon Challenge.
A particularly valuable result was achieved in Ljubuški, where – according to available information – for the first time in history two runners from Široki Brijeg placed on the podium.
Two people from Shirobriježa on the podium of the half-marathon
Half marathon “Two Waterfalls”21.1 kilometers long, ran from the Koćuša waterfall to the Kravica waterfall, and gathered competitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Ilija Jukić won first place, and Beat Čolak and Silvije Kutle from Širokobrije took second and third place. Photo: Nikola Mijić / Ljubuški Outdoor Festival
Half marathon course it is in Ljubuški demandingand an additional challenge for the competitors was the temperature of approx 30 degrees Celsius. He celebrated in the men’s competition Ilija Jukićmember of HAAK Mladost Zagreb / AK Puls, over time 1:16:28. She won the women’s competition Nataša Sustića member of AK Sljeme Zagreb, over time 1:23:25 and a new race record, while she won second place Nikolina Sustić Stanković.
Kutle: the first podium in the half marathon and great motivation
For Silvija Kutla performance in the half marathon came unexpectedly, but it turned into a result that he will remember for a long time. As he said, he did not plan the racebut he performed after a friend who had previously paid for participation offered him the starting number because he could not perform due to illness.
The half marathon race came quite unexpectedly. It coincided with the fact that I came on vacation earlier than planned and that the friend who paid for the race gave up due to illness and offered me to run, so that the registration fee would not go to wasteKutle told the portal Jabuka.tv.
Won third place in Ljubuški has additional value for him because it is his first podium in the half marathon.
Silvije Kutle did not plan to participate in the half-marathon, and in the end he won a high third place. Photo: Nikola Mijić / Ljubuški Outdoor Festival
The feeling is phenomenal and means to me like further encouragement and a nice memoryhe pointed out.
Kutle also praised the organization of the race itself and the atmosphere Ljubuški Outdoor Festival.
It will hardly happen again that we have two Širokobrijejans on the pedestal some half marathon. Half marathon in Ljubuški he was excellently organized and full of good energy. A great invitation for next yearsaid Kutle.
Colak: this is confirmation that it is always worth working on yourself
Beat Colak won in Ljubuški second placeand the performance had a special meaning for him because he achieved his best placement in half-marathons and the first podium in the race where he ran the half-marathon distance for the first time.
This is mine best placement in half marathons and the first podium in his life. Although I achieved a slightly better time last fall in Ljubljana, this result means a lot to me because it was achieved on the track I’m on in 2021 ran a half marathon for the first time so in a way it shows how much I have progressed in the meantimeČolak pointed out for our portal.
He added that he experienced the result as confirmation of the effort investedbut also as an example to open the opportunity to those who are ready for it.
They say it is luck meets preparation and opportunity and for me, this is a confirmation that it is always worth working on yourself and investing in yourself in any area because the opportunity will appear at some pointhe said.
Beat Čolak won second place in the men’s competition in Ljubuški. Photo: Ljubuški trči / Ljubuški Outdoor Festival team
He especially emphasized the pleasure of being on the podium together with his own first neighbor Silvi Kutl.
I am especially happy that my first neighbor Silvija Kutla was with me on the podium and that they two people from Širokobriježa took the podium in one race. That’s proof that racing community in Široki Brijeg growing and thrivingColak added.
Mustapić excelled in the first Olympic triathlon
A notable result was also achieved by Slaven Mustapicwho performed in Jajce at his first Olympic triathlonand a total of the second triathlon in his life.
Olympic triathlon consists of 1.5 kilometers of swimming, 45 kilometers of cycling and 10 kilometer runwhich was for Mustapić a significant step forward compared to the sprint triathlon he did last summer in Ilidža.
In strong competition, he took 20th place overall you 4th place in the age category from 23 to 30 years.
This I consider with an excellent result and confirmation that hard work pays offMustapić said.
Slaven Mustapić is extremely satisfied with his performance at the Olympic triathlon in Jajce. Photo: private archive
A special challenge it was swimming in the lake, in which he had not had the opportunity to perform until then. The water temperature, of all things, added weight to the race 15 degrees Celsius. He finished the swimming section in 40 minutesbicycle for 1 hour and 19 minuteswhile he ran the final 10 kilometers for 46 minutes.
The biggest opponent in this race was not my competition, but my own fear of the unknown. This is precisely why this result means much more to me than the placement itselfMustapić told the portal Jabuka.tv.
Planned establishment of a running club
The results Bowls, Čolaka and Mustapić confirm that an increasingly serious recreational and competitive sports scene is developing in Široki Brijeg.
As the portal finds out Jabuka.tvthe establishment is planned in the near future racing club Široki Brijegwhich would bring together this increasingly numerous sports community and enable it to function more formally, organize work and further develop running in the city.
A man from Širobriježa ran 24 half-marathons in 24 days: “Running is a prayer for me, and health is a gift”
(www.jabuka.tv | Photo: Nikola Mijić / LJOF / Ljubuški trči)
