While pinning opponents is still his major focus for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, Victorian wrestler Haris Fazlic will also be making sure the rest of his Australian team are getting the most from their Games experience, having been appointed Village Entertainment Co-ordinator.

He was appointed the title at a team briefing on Wednesday night by Chef de Mission, Nick Green, who sat next to Fazlic on the plane to Sydney from Melbourne.

“The more cheering the better,” Fazlic said.

“It’s like the song says – ‘We all need somebody to lean on’, so I will do my best to get everyone cheering and on their feet and give the athletes somebody to lean on.”

Fazlic, who will contest the under 63kg event, has proven his ability having come first at the national titles every year since 2008. This year he completed the double taking out the Oceanic title too.

But the muscular Year 11 student felt he had the ability to make it third time lucky in 2010 with a strong performance at the Youth Games. He was also confident of being able to get supporters cheering for anyone competing in green and gold.

Although he was amused by his most senior wrestler’s new title, wrestling coach Fabricio Itte said Fazlic would be able to fulfil his requirements in competition and the Village.

“Well he’s definitely entertaining – that is for sure, he should be able to keep things interesting,” Itte said.

“As far as the competition goes, all the teams we are coming up against are going to be tough, we don’t doubt that.

“But I have faith in the ability of all three of my athletes – all of them have the potential to be medal contenders.

“If they do their best and have belief in their own abilities then I’m not concerned where they place – I just want them to do their best.”

Fazlic said the best approach to get supporters involved was to use good, old-fashion manners.

“Manners, manners, manners – everyone responds well to please and thank you,” he said.

“For the first game of basketball when the girls take on the Americans, I’ll just go around to everyone watching and say ‘excuse me guys, can you all please cheer as loudly as possible’.

 “I’ll have to try and get the Aussie, Aussie, Aussie chant going too – you’re not Australian if you don’t get into that.”

Bought up in a Muslim family, Fazlic will begin Ramadan after his competition, meaning he cannot take food or water while the sun is up. He said his faith was something that drove him on to be a better athlete and person.

“My religion has helped me out a lot,” he said.

“Personally, I pray every day – whenever I stop praying or have a day where I don’t pray then bad things tend to happen so I just keep living my life the way it is and keep praying.”

Elliot Woods

AOC