Emir Bekrić
He broke Serbia's global track medal drought with a historic bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2013 World Championships.
Born 1991 (age 35)·Serbian hurdler·Birthday: March 14·Millennials
Biography
Emir Bekrić emerged from Serbia to become a force in one of track and field's most grueling events, the 400-meter hurdles. His breakthrough came in 2013 at the World Championships in Moscow, where his powerful stride and technique earned him a bronze medal. That performance was seismic for Serbian athletics, marking the first time a male Serbian track and field athlete had stood on a world championship podium. The victory catapulted him to national fame, earning him Serbia's Golden Badge award and recognition as Europe's rising star in the sport. Coached by Mirjana Stojanović, Bekrić's career was defined by that pinnacle moment and his consistent hold on the Serbian national record, setting a standard for future generations in a nation with a rich sporting history.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Emir was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Emir Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Emir's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2013 IAAF World Championships, Serbia's first male track medal at the event.
- Awarded the European Athletics Rising Star honour in 2013.
- Received the Golden Badge as Serbian Athlete of the Year in 2013.
- Holds the Serbian national record in the 400 metres hurdles.
Did You Know?
He is a trained economist, having graduated from the University of Novi Sad's Faculty of Economics.
Bekrić initially played football and was a goalkeeper before switching to athletics at age 15.
His 2013 World Championships bronze medal was won in a personal best time of 48.05 seconds.
“The hurdles are a fight with yourself, and I came to win that fight.”
