Coronavirus forces Sarajevo teen swimming champ to train with tether in DIY pool

Twelve-year-old Iman Avdic is a junior swimming champion who has had to swap the Olympic pool in Sarajevo for an improvised pool in her grandparents’ greenhouse in Doboj due to the coronavirus lockdown imposed in the country, footage from Wednesday shows.

“We train for two hours every day and try not to get bored. Swimming, on the one hand, isn’t really easy. We try new things and new exercises every day in order to adapt them to the needs of our swimmer,” explained her father and coach Evelin Avdic who was behind the greenhouse idea.

She now trains in the countryside in an improvised pool which they put in a greenhouse for producing vegetables, maintaining the heat of the water and air temperature. She swims up to 14 kilometres per day inside the 3×2 metre pool.

“It’s different of course. It cannot be the same as in a regular swimming pool. But I have adapted to these conditions and I am glad that I can do my training, ” said the 12-year-old champion who is keen to return to her normal swimming routine.