While Crvenka once had its handball tradition and champions, the reality when Jovovic started was far from the glory days. For that reason, with the support from her parents, she made a tough decision — to leave Serbia at 15 and move to Hungary. It was the start of building her career.
“We didn't even have cones for training. We made obstacles with bottles of water. We didn't have a gym.” She laughs a little, because it feels so far away now. “When I came to Hungary — academy, dormitory, gym, morning practice, evening practice, fitness, running on the track, handball every day, everything organised. It was such a big change,” explains Jovovic.
That move forced her to grow up quickly. A new language, dorm life, a new culture. But it all shaped her into the person she is today. Everything she learned in that period helped her on and off the court.
“It's a period I'll never forget. My biggest success might be learning Hungarian and speaking it like a native. That's something that will always stay with me and helps me today. Of course, friendships, travels too, but if I had to pick one thing, it's the language.