In the budget for sport karate, zero was allocated for last year. That with work, talent, family relationship and dedication it is possible to get from zero to the European podium in just over a year - is the latest Montenegrin invention.
The recipe for that, more precisely, resides in the Karate Association of President Predrag Perković, who is celebrating the first, historic medal of the men's kata team at the European Championship in Guadalajara, Spain.
With a result of 42,6:40,4, the floor team of Montenegro surpassed England in the match for bronze. The selection team and KK Bar: Vladimir Mijač, Arijan Kočan, Kenan Nikočević and Nikola Milić, with the selector Milena Milačić and the coach, but also the selector in the fights, Almir Cecunjanin, managed to get only the second medal in the kata discipline, and the first - in the women's kata team in Slovakia in 2007 - it was the first since independence.
Milena Milačić is the only actress with both great successes.
- I am happy and proud of our team's result. I am sure that this is only a springboard for new successes, because we are talking about a young, promising and talented team. In addition, they are also incredibly dedicated. So, apart from the Karate Association of Montenegro, I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Cecunjanin, their coach, for the trust shown and the opportunity to train with them for years and be part of a great team. If we bear in mind that Montenegro is small and a country with limited sports resources, and we managed to compete with the best European selections and in the end were among the top three, this gives the result additional significance. It is incredibly difficult to succeed in the competition of traditional powers such as Turkey, Spain, Italy, France, Azerbaijan, Croatia..., to get involved in medal fights. We are - says Milena Milacic.
After the historic feat in 2007 and the first medal since the restoration of independence from major competitions that she won with her sisters Tijana and Biserka Radulović, 16 years later Milena managed to win a medal with the men's team, the first since the World Championships in Sydney in 1986.
- It is unnecessary to talk about the quality of the competition, and we were unlucky in the draw with world runners-up Spain, bronze medalist Azerbaijan from the previous European Championship, and France, Ukraine and Croatia. Our team managed to fight with a great second performance to be right behind Spain and fight for a medal. In addition, in the individual competition, Mijača shared a different attitude of judges towards older and trophy competitors in the individual competition, but he secured a place at the 3rd European Games, and will be our first representative in the categories. I believe that he is at the very top of the world, he just lacks more performances and experience. It is possible that he could do much more by preparing only for an individual performance, but he is a dedicated athlete and succeeds on two fronts - said Milačić, who became a selector through the KSCG competition a little over a year ago.
- At my first EP, we were fifth, and the cadet-junior team also lost the medal match at the European Championship in Cyprus, they are also extremely talented. Now I have my own club, Junior, so sometimes I and sometimes they from KK Bar come to train together - Milacic concluded.
Champion coin of Vladimir Mijač
Vladimir Mijač is the flagship of Montenegrin sports. He proved himself as a champion in Indonesia - with the world cadet bronze, which he achieved with talent, incredible desire and persistence. He then managed to win big medals in the senior competition, and in Guadalajara in the strongest one.
- The European bronze is not a surprise, we were ready for a medal. We were close on the previous one as well, the shades decided. It is true that it is difficult to win a medal in kata, but we have shown that it is possible. We also sent a message to young people who have yet to start playing kata - explained Mijač.
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