Imagine a competition in which you have to do nothing but lie down for a long duration. The longer you are horizontal, the bigger your prize money.
Such a thing is not from the world of fantasy. It is an annual championship that is held in Montenegro every year.
This year, Zarko Pejanovic was announced as the winner of the 12th edition after lying horizontal for 60 hours. His triumphant effort earned him €350 (Rs 27,000), a lunch for two at a restaurant, a weekend stay in the ethnic village ‘Montenegro’, and a rafting experience.
Zarko, who happens to be a Podgorica native, said the effort was an easy one for him for which he didn’t even need to ‘warm up’.
“It wasn’t difficult, believe me, I didn’t even warm up. When a company comes to support the competitors, it’s fun, but the biggest mistake is when someone’s family comes,” Zarko told local news outlet Glas Zabiela.
“When someone’s family members come, it’s hard not to get up,” he added.
The competition saw nine participants at the start. But seven of them dropped out by the end of the first day, leaving Zarko and Vuk Koljensic in the final two slots.
The event entered its third day as the two refused to give up their respective positions on the ground. But in the end, it was Zarko who remained patient to win it all.
All the participants were lying under the canopy of a hundred-year-old maple tree. But when it rains, they had to go to a hut.
Zarko’s impressive effort still falls short of last year’s record created by Dubravka Aleksic, who was horizontal for 117 hours.
