A black belt is worn around the waist, but for the ties that connect a coach and her long-time athletes, it can represent far more than a technical grade. The EJU's third Belt of Life episode turns its lens on Croatia's women's judo team.
Facing the camera are head coach Dragan Crnov and three of the athletes he has guided for many years: Lara Cvjetko, Ana Viktorija Puljiz and Helena Vukovic. Their relationship has grown from club coaching into something closer to family.
The three athletes have developed from cadets and juniors into competitors making their mark on the IJF World Judo Tour. For Crnov, the belt he holds connects a decade of coaching, trust and mutual growth as much as it marks a grade.
Strict training, patience and a belief in each other run through their story. For the athletes, Crnov is not only a national head coach but the club coach who helped raise them towards the international stage.
The episode is a reminder that in judo, a black belt is a symbol of a shared path — one pulled forward, together.