He fought with all the seas and oceans of the world, from Weymouth in the south of England, through Marina de Glorio near Rio de Janeiro and Enoshima, Japan, to Marseille. He defied their dangers and winds, and then at the end of 2024 everything he did was crowned in the most beautiful way with the award for the best athlete of Montenegro.
Milivoj Dukić, a brave guy from Herceg Novi, has been a regular Olympic story of Montenegro for more than a decade, always one of the most beautiful, and last summer the most beautiful - 14th place at the Olympic Games in strong competition, and maybe it would have been better if the weather conditions had allowed enters the Top 10 and fights for medals.
Due to everything, the Montenegrin Olympic Committee had no dilemma when it declared him the best athlete of the year for us.
- It is definitely something that marked this year, which was very solid in terms of results, the best in my career, because I was the first to provide the norm for the Olympic Games, and then I was also among the first 15 nations for the Olympic Games - which is very serious - began Dukić's conversation with "Vijesti".
In London 2012 he was 30, four years later in Rio 29, then in Tokyo 17, and the progress continued at the Games in Paris.
- That makes me the most happy, that I had a constant presence at those most important world competitions, although it didn't have to be like that - behind the scenes it was much more complicated and difficult to plan and do. But here - in the end, that prize arrived as the icing on the cake for all the results so far - added Dukić, who did not forget the people who were by his side:
- All that story was built for years together with people from the Association and from the clubs and all the people who worked with me to achieve results and they definitely deserved this award as much as I did.
Coronation in Los Angeles
He improved from Games to Games, so we should expect something similar in four years in Los Angeles...
- The fifth Olympic round is in my mind, that is my primary goal in the next four-year cycle. I will be 35 years old in Los Angeles, I am in my optimal and best age as far as psychophysical condition is concerned. It will be a very challenging and complex path, no easier than it was before, but the experience I have gained all these years will definitely mean and enable me to be even better and even more prepared - Dukić is clear.
He didn't even hide that he is already dreaming of the greatest results...
- I would like the most if I could say that I will fight for Olympic gold, honestly I would like that the most, but everything will depend on many things and circumstances... What I know is that I will definitely be more prepared and I hope that this crowning a beautiful story in Los Angeles.
Each OI carries its own story
A look into the past best reveals the path Dukić has taken, so it is not surprising that for our sailor it is difficult to decide which Games were special...
- Each one is special, because each of them has its own story - starting with the first ones when I was very young, which was really an incredible experience and a respectable result. On the other hand, during the Olympic cycles for Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, I felt what everything really means. The Games in Rio were a springboard and an important experience for all future actions for Tokyo - explained Dukić.
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Milivoj Dukić participated in the Olympic Games three times - in London (30th place), Rio de Janeiro (29), Tokyo (17) and Paris (14)
The advantage, however, gives Marseille and the competition in the Mediterranean Sea...
- Somehow I think that the best of all are the Games in Paris, more precisely in Marseille, where I had the best conditions because the competition was held in Europe. I had the chance to train at the place where the Olympic Games will be held, which greatly influenced the preparation itself, and later it will turn out to be the result as well. The previous games in Rio and Tokyo were on other continents where everything is more complicated.
Certainly England, Brazil, Japan and France remain the most beautiful memories.
- That's right, they are all different stories and somehow I learned something from all those experiences and used them for future actions - said the sailor from Herceg Novi.
He tried water polo and swimming, and then he felt the wind and the waves
Until the appearance of Milivoje Dukić, sailing was practically an unknown sport for most of Montenegro - it's not often that children dream of practicing that sport, so how did the best athlete of Montenegro end up on the waves?
- Given that my house is in Škver, and the sailing and water polo clubs are close by, when school ended and the summer season started, usually the first thing to try was swimming, water polo and sailing... The same was with me - I also tried the mentioned two sports - recalled Dukić.
And then, as he says, he felt sailing...
- I felt the sailboat and the freedom of control, I felt the wind and the waves, and that feeling somehow keeps me going even today and, in the end, inspires me again and again. In addition to all that, the individuality of this sport may have kept me the most in this story.
Can it be said that over the years, Milivoj Dukić has learned to fight the winds?
- That is a specific question, because the vocation I am engaged in is my life's dream and the path I have been building since childhood. There are certainly many challenges behind me, and somehow all of that has been built up all these years to a higher level, and I am proud of the way in which these challenges have remained behind me. Now I'm looking at some new ones that have yet to come - emphasized Dukić.
I hope someone will continue my story
Milivoj Dukić is already thinking about the 2028 Olympic Games, and what after, what when his successful career ends - does Montenegrin sailing have the talent to continue this story?
- There are several young guys who definitely have potential, but it is difficult to predict.
He also explained why...
- A lot will depend on them, but also on the competent sports institutions - from the Sailing Association, through the Ministry of Sports to the Montenegrin Olympic Committee - how much will be invested in sports. All this will affect their and my future development. In any case, I hope that there will be someone who will inherit this story - says Dukić.
Bonus video:
