"When I want to, I can do anything" Milenko, despite cerebral palsy, participated in Cer March with soldiers

Photo: Private archive

Athlete and humanitarian Milenko Janicijevic (31) from Bor, who suffers from cerebral palsy, took part in the Cer March this year (commemorating Serbian victory in the Battle of Cer - the first Allied victory of WW1).

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Janicijevic participated along with members of the Border Police, MUP (Interior Ministry), SAJ (Special Anti-Terrorist Unit), and the Serbian Army.

Although he has suffered from cerebral palsy since childhood, Milenko is not letting up. Sport is something that sustains him and to which he turned fully, and his biggest dream in life, this young man says, came true this time as well. To be a part of the 8-member team, along with officers from the Border Police, SAJ and the Serbian Army, who also participated in the traditional Sabac-Tekeris Cer March this year.

With the goal of bowing down to the shadows of g-the glorious Serbian heroes, this time again there were close to a hundred participants.

"It wasn't all the same, it was very hot, but nothing is difficult for me. I covered the 37-kilometer route in 6 hours and 50 minutes, and when I am together with these guys from the 'Beolaser League' that gathers us from all over the world and, of course, with members of the police, the Serbian Army, and SAJ, there is no greater satisfaction for me. They accepted me as if I was one of them.

I have been running with the Serbian Gendarmerie since 2020, when we started the partnership, and I would like to stress once again that for me it is the greatest honor in life and a privilege that not everyone gets. I often travel together with Biljana Veljkovic-Konteska, a member of SAJ, to numerous competitions, marathons and half-marathons, and I feel safe with her. Along with all the others, Bilja (Biljana) is my role model, to never give up," says this humanitarian with a big heart.

Milenko adds that the Cer March is extremely important to him. This year, for the 14th time, in the anniversary week in August, together with these people, whose profession he says deserves respect and honoring, he was walking the paths of the heroes of Cer who wrote Serbian history with their deeds, and for him it was an opportunity not to be missed.

"To march 37 kilometers is a big deal, considering my illness. But this time too, I overcame myself, defeated the disease and proved that when I want to I can do anything. And this time we had the opportunity to reassess ourselves, how worthy we are of the people who gave their lives for all of us, so in this respect, these 37 kilometers are the least we could do compared their great deeds," Milenko said of the Serbian WW1 soldiers.

(Telegraf.rs/Milica Ristic)