Montenegrin Paralympians are already winners by their placement at the Tokyo Games and will perform without the imperative and burden of achieving any result, said the president of the Paralympic Committee (POK) Igor Tomić.
He pointed out that the Paralympians have already achieved the result of representing Montenegro at such a big competition, which will be held without the presence of an audience, but which will be watched by the whole world.
"It gives me great pleasure to follow the largest POK delegation since its establishment, five of our athletes are going to Tokyo. We had one athlete each in Beijing and London, and two at the Games in Rio de Janeiro. I can proudly say that this is the success of a sincere , a difficult, but a journey full of satisfaction", Tomić said at the farewell of the Montenegrin delegation.
He reminded that Montenegro will have representatives in the most popular sports.
"In the queen of sports, which will gather over a thousand athletes, we will have Marijana Goranović at the third games and Miloš Spaić as a debutant, Ilija Tadić in swimming at the second games, and for the first time we will present ourselves in table tennis, individually and as a team, where we have Filip Radović and Luka Bakić", Tomic said.
He pointed out that the Paralympians, on the wings of the great results of the Olympians in Tokyo, will have something to make Montenegro happy.
"We would not have been able to do all this without the support of the state and the Administration for Sports and Youth, the Montenegrin Olympic Committee and our sponsors, who were by our side when we needed it most. Our joint effort will give a good and impressive result", said Tomić.
He told the Paralympians to be what they have been all these years.
"The most honest and sincere thing I've come across in professional sports. I have no doubt that he will defend the color of our flag in the right way. Let's move on, together," Tomić said.
The President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, Dušan Simonović, said that he is proud of the team that Montenegro has and that will represent it in Tokyo.
"We will have five athletes, competing with 4.400 Paralympians from all over the world. It is another in a series of POK successes, because from such a small base and in a short time you have achieved fantastic results. You are brave young people, you should be an example to those who see in you what should be their future and perspective. I want you to make us happy with the results, but don't despair because you have already achieved the results," Simonović said.
Athlete Marijana Goranović, who, along with table tennis player Filip Radović, will carry the Montenegrin flag at the parade, said that the dream of every athlete is to participate in the biggest sports show, stating that she is living that dream for the third time.
"I am happy how strong the Paralympic movement is in Montenegro. As for my expectations in Tokyo, I know where I am going and I know where I belong. I will do my best to make myself, my country and the people who worked with me happy," Goranović said.
The silver medal winner from Helsingborg, Radović said that he will compete with his colleague Luka Bakić in individual and team competition.
"The chances for a high ranking are greater in the team competition, but that does not mean that one of us individually, if we perform on an enviable level, cannot interfere in the fight for a high ranking.
Radović pointed out that the expectations are high, but that he is not thinking about it.
"My goal is to prepare for the opening matches, which are always the hardest. "To pass the group and win the quarterfinals, to fight for the world and Olympic top," said Radović.
For the first time, Montenegro will have representatives in table tennis in Tokyo, and for the first time they will also compete in the team competition. Radović and Bakić will perform in Tokyo in the individual part, which is scheduled from August 25 to 29, while the team part is scheduled from August 31 to September 3.
On August 27, Goranović will compete in the shot put, and on September 1, he will throw the discus.
Spaić will go to the throwing pool on August 30, and Tadić will swim the day before.
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