President Milanović Receives Sandra Paović who Presented her Book “Volim život“

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received today the most decorated Croatian table tennis player, Olympian and Paralympian Sandra Paović. The reason for the meeting is the publication of her new book “Volim život“(I Love Life). The book relates the sports successes and the incredible life story of Sandra Paović, who, after the end of her sports career, became a motivational speaker for athletes, pupils and companies.

She presented her new book to President Milanović today. “The book is not only about life and sports, about the ups and downs, about victories and defeats, but it is a book about hope and love. With this book, I wanted to tell young athletes and children to be brave, not to give up and, most importantly, that they are already winners if they did their best. The goal of the book is for children to hear my story, to learn from my victories and defeats, and to understand that this is all part of life. That’s why it’s called “Volim život”. I am pleased that the President received us and thus supported the idea of ​​my book”, said Sandra Paović.

“An incredible person, Sandra Paović. I think that children should listen to this story as a kind of guide through life. That fight and will for life, that cheerfulness and creativity of her and her husband – I tip my hat to you”, said President Milanović.

The book “Volim život“ was edited by Željko Žutelija and is actually a sequel to her 2017 book “Rođena da pobjeđuje“ (Born to Win). The book covers key periods of her life: her childhood, her exile from her war-torn native Vukovar, her sports successes and the car accident that marked and changed her life. The book mainly talks about the last seven years of Sandra’s life after winning the gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and her retirement from professional table tennis, including the difficulties faced by people with disabilities in Croatia today.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta