The medals won at the European Championship are confirmation that Montenegrin karate continuously belongs to the world's top, said the president of the Karate Federation, Igor Ognjenović.
Speaking about the performance of Montenegrin karatekas at the European Championships for Cadets, Juniors and Young Seniors in Limassol, he said that a historic success had been achieved.
The karate national team finished its performance at the championship with three gold medals and two silver and bronze medals each.
The European champions were juniors Vuk Vučinić and Una Raković and younger senior Balša Vojinović, while younger senior Helena Backović and cadet Neda Beljkaš were less fortunate in the final program in kata.
Junior Anes Arifaj in wrestling and junior senior Jovana Milić in kata finished the championship with bronze medals.
Ognjenović emphasized that the achieved result is not just a statistic, but proof that nothing happens by chance.
"The medals won in Limassol show that the system has been built and that it has a clear future, meaning that similar or even better results can be expected in the coming period, making Montenegro proud," said Ognjenović.
He pointed out that 1.195 competitors from 46 countries participated in Limassol, and that Montenegrin karate was represented by 34 competitors.
"The fact that we finished sixth in the overall standings is proof that Montenegro is a superpower in karate. Certainly another proof that discipline, work and togetherness overcome the numbers and much larger budgets of other countries," said Ognjenović.
According to him, this is an additional motivation to work even harder in the coming period and create the conditions for historic success in front of their fans at the European Senior Championship in Podgorica in 2028.
He emphasized that the goal is to increase support for athletes and clubs, so that they can work better and harder.
"My plan is to introduce sports science to help our athletes first identify potentials that need to be further developed and to reduce the possibility of injuries through data collection," said Ognjenović.
Fighting coach Nenad Vojinović said he was proud of the achieved result.
"We showed the rest of Europe who we are and what we are made of. It was nice to be a Montenegrin in Limassol. We really showed great seriousness on the tatami, but also around it, supporting each of our competitors who performed. We achieved a serious result, but we could have done even better. We had a lot of national team players from whom we expected a lot, and they did not win a medal," said Vojinović.
He emphasized that the Montenegrin national team's coaching staff considered the result from the championship in Limassol not a surprise, but an expected outcome.
"The World Championship in the same competition is approaching. Don't be surprised if we pull off a new miracle," said Vojinović.
Kata coach Biserka Radulović said that she was extremely proud of her girls and everything they showed at the championship.
"Winning two medals in kata is an exceptional result and is the fruit of dedication, discipline and enormous work, both by them and by me as a selector and coach in the clubs. With last year's medal by junior Katarina Vlahović, we have united all three medals of the women's team in kata. As a selector in women's kata, this gives me great motivation to work. I am proud of my success and it shows me that I am on the right track," said Radulović.
The winner of the gold medal in the junior seniors, Balša Vojinović, said that he was proud of the gold medal, stating that he was not surprised by the result.
"To be honest, I expected a gold medal. We trained hard, prepared well and thoroughly, and when that happens, you know what's coming. This is not the end, but the beginning of a serious year in which we will have the European Senior Championships in Frankfurt in May. I hope that we will meet again after that championship, on the same occasion and with the same medal," said Vujinović.
Golden junior Vuk Vučinić said that he achieved a remarkable result in Limassol and won his second European gold medal.
"I'm satisfied with how I did in the championship. We worked hard at the club and with the national team and it paid off. I hope to achieve similar results in the future," said Vučinić.
Una Raković, who added junior gold to the cadet gold, said she was happy with the achieved result.
"The impressions are still fresh, but I can say that I am happy. I managed to bring another medal to my club and country. This is my third in a row, and the second is gold," said Raković.
The most pleasant surprise of the championship, Neda Beljkaš, said that behind the silver medal in kata is a lot of hard work and sacrifice.
"I am satisfied with the result, I am proud of the silver medal I won. Behind this success is a lot of hard work and sacrifice, a lot of reflected training," said Beljkaš.
Bronze medalist junior senior Jovana Milić said that she was honored to be among the medal winners.
"First of all, thank you to my family, who have been with me since day one. Thank you to the Bar Karate Club, Almir Cecunjanin and all the coaches at the club who believed in me. They know how much their support means to me and the medal I won, with which I have somehow repaid them. Thank you also to the coach Biserka Radulović for her support. We continue, I hope there will be more medals," said Milić.
Bronze medalist Anes Arifaj thanked everyone who contributed to his good performance in Limassol.
"Thank you to the Karate Federation for the conditions provided, my home club Iskra and coach Nenad Vojinović, who made me a successful karate player," said Arifaj.
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