Milan Petrović is one of the heroes of the Belgrade Marathon. Although he is blind, this does not prevent him from actively participating in sports, and this year he will take part for the eighth time in the famous running event in our capital, scheduled for April 6.
Interestingly, Milan is the first blind athlete in Serbia to have completed a full marathon race of 42 kilometers and 195 meters. He achieved this milestone at the Belgrade Marathon back in 2009.
This spring, he will compete in the half marathon with the goal of surpassing his personal best and finishing the 21-kilometer race in under 1 hour and 42 minutes.
“I run accompanied by my coaches, Vladimir Lazarević or Dejan Ivanković. After an eight-year break, which was caused by my professional obligations, I returned to the Belgrade Marathon last year, and it would be an understatement to say that I was impressed with the organization. Many things have improved across all aspects, and inspired by last year’s experience, I can hardly wait to return to the course again,” Petrović emphasized, adding:
“I say all this from personal experience. I have traveled the world and participated in various sporting events, and I truly could not find a single complaint about the Belgrade Marathon. From the security of the event and medical support for all participants, to the fact that the starts of the 42 km, 21 km, and 10 km races are separated, as well as the refreshment stations placed every two to three kilometers—everything is flawlessly organized to ensure the best possible experience for every runner.”
Milan lost his sight when he was only 11 years old, as a result of a brain tumor. The tumor was successfully removed, and Milan decided to fully dedicate himself to sports.
He devoted himself to cycling, and together with Goran Šmelcerović he achieved victories in many international races. He also competed twice at the Paralympic Games—in London 2012 and Tokyo 2021.
At the same time, he is also involved in triathlon and is one of only five blind triathletes in the world who has successfully completed the famous Ironman race, which consists of 3,800 meters of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling, and 42 kilometers of running.
“After numerous medical examinations and tests, and time spent in various hospitals, at one point I simply wanted to move forward. Practicing sports is what helped me a lot. That is why I would like to send a message to all persons with disabilities to follow my example, because through sports they can significantly improve their quality of life. The fact that I cannot see may be an obstacle, but it is not an insurmountable one.”
In addition to sports, Milan also works as a therapeutic massage therapist, and the humanitarian “Heroes of the Belgrade Marathon” Foundation has decided to further support and encourage him as a long-time participant in this running event.
“I have been working in therapeutic massage for ten years, and recently I became a scholarship recipient of the ‘Heroes of the Belgrade Marathon’ Foundation for vocational studies in physiotherapy. Everything happened spontaneously—the intermediary in the whole story was my friend and renowned cyclist Ivan Stević, who introduced me to the director of the Belgrade Marathon, Darko Habuš. It was his idea that I should continue my education and gain the qualifications to work in massage therapy once I finish my sports career,” said Petrović, emphasizing in particular:
“It is a great thing that the main goal of the ‘Heroes of the Belgrade Marathon’ Foundation is to improve the position of persons with disabilities. Likewise, the growing participation of persons with disabilities in the Belgrade Marathon is of great importance, primarily in breaking down prejudices, but also from the perspective of inclusion.”
Petrović also had an important message for all participants of the 38th Comtrade Belgrade Marathon, as well as for those who are still considering whether to take part.
“I like to joke a lot, so I often say that if I, as a person with a disability, can run, then everyone else can too. Just be brave. Anglers wish each other clear waters, cyclists wish for a tailwind, and the traditional message among runners is light legs. That is what I sincerely wish to all of them as well,” Petrović concluded.
The 38th Comtrade Belgrade Marathon will also have a special humanitarian aspect, as from March 1 to April 1 registrations are open for runners in the marathon, half marathon, and 10 km race who wish to dedicate their kilometers to the humanitarian campaign “SMS for a Kilometer.”
Each kilometer completed will later be converted into donations by sending the message HEROJI to 3023.
