Silver medal in Tallinn

Another excellent result for Montenegrin judo - Stefan Kovinić won the silver medal at the European Open in Tallinn.

The talented judoka, who will be one of the main assets of our national team at the European Junior Championships in Podgorica in early September, won the medal, which brings him 70 points for the world list, important in the fight for a place in the world championship.

Stefan was defeated in the final by the home competition of Marek-Adrijan Masak.

Previously, he defeated Kabrijel Kirna, also representing Estonia, in the quarterfinals, while in the semifinals he was better than Fedor Yaroshenko from Ukraine.

"I am satisfied with my performance at the tournament. I defeated competitors from Estonia and Ukraine, and I played the matches in accordance with the tactics prepared with the coaches. Unfortunately, I lost the final, but I am happy with the 70 points I gained for the world ranking," Kovinić told the website of the Judo Federation of Montenegro.

One of the leaders of the new wave of Montenegrin judo is turning his attention to the rest of the season.

"Attention and focus are now directed towards the European Junior Championships in Podgorica. I have the OTC camp in Poreč waiting for me right away, and then the junior cups and the Open in Sarajevo. Many thanks to the Judo Federation for their help. They made my preparations and performances at important tournaments and camps easier. I am glad that they recognized the potential for good results in me," added Kovinić.

Our judoka's coach, Ivana Milović, was satisfied, but pointed out that Stefan could do even better.

"An important award, Stefan showed that he can compete with quality seniors, even though he is still a junior. This result is both for self-confidence, but also for the world list, so that he can get into a position to qualify for the world championship," said Milović.

She also highlighted the continuous support she receives from the Judo Federation of Montenegro.

"I would like to thank President Jovica Rečević, who is always with us and has been a huge supporter of ours on this journey. He constantly supports our actions, we have already been to five Olympic training camps this year. Without the help of the Federation, everything would be much more difficult for us," Milović pointed out.

Before leaving for Tallinn, Kovinić trained with one of the greatest judo legends.

"At the invitation of Lukaš Krpalek, a two-time Olympic champion, Stefan got the opportunity to train with him. He liked the way Kovinić works. They also agreed to continue their cooperation, which means a lot to Stefan. Another camp in Poreč is coming up, all with the desire to continue timing for the most important competition of the year, the European Junior Championships in Podgorica," concluded Ivana Milović.