National karate champion starts her workday in the laundry room: Tara wants to help her parents

While most of her peers spend their summer at the beach or on vacation, seventeen-year-old Tara Perković, a national karate champion, starts her workday in a hotel laundry room in Budva.

Not because he has to, but because he wants to help his parents.

She fights for medals on the tatami, and this summer, for every euro she earns. Seventeen-year-old Tara Perković has traded her karate kimono for a work uniform, determined to ease the strain on her family budget.

"In order not to create any additional costs for them, because this year will not be cheap at all, the excursion, I also have the World Cup coming up, so I decided to help them as much as I could. As for work, I work in the laundry room. We stack goods there, towels, iron bed linen and so on, everything related to the hotel. This is my first season, but I'm glad I started working, because really, if I didn't do anything at home, I might be wasting my time. This is how I'll earn money," said Perković.

While he is just gaining work experience, he has been building a sports career for almost ten years.

"I train at the 'Omladinac' karate club, which is the best club in the region and beyond. We have over 70 European and world medals. Last year I participated in the Balkan Championship and the national championship, where I won a gold medal, which allowed me to directly qualify for the European Championship, which was held this year in February in Cyprus," said Perković.

The summer season has changed her rhythm, but not her habit of working on herself every day. Instead of regular training sessions at the club, she keeps in shape in a different way.

"I try so hard to stay in shape, I run, go to the gym, etc. The only thing I can't do is karate, one of my sparring partners is, but I'm still training," said Tara.

In the fall, he returns to regular training and new competitions. Until then, instead of medals, he is gathering a different experience, showing that a champion's character is built through work, responsibility, and a willingness to help his family.