Goalball club Nikšić will make its debut tomorrow at the Club World Championship in Espoo, Finland, with a duel against Hansa from Roštok.
The championship in the suburbs of Helsinki brought together eight teams in the men's competition and nine in the women's competition.
Nikšić's rivals in Group A will also be Brazilian Sesi and Japanese IVY.
The draw placed Finland's Old Power, Algeria's Etoiles Filantes Boufarik, Lithuania's Lions and Instituto Athlon from Brazil in Group B.
The group winners, after three rounds, will advance directly to the semi-finals, while the other two semi-finalists will be determined by duels between the second- and third-placed teams from both groups.
Coach Nikola Čurović said that the Nikšić goalkeepers are honored to be at the World Club Championship and to be among the eight best clubs in the world.
He reminded that Nikšić secured its appearance in Espoo by winning the bronze medal at last year's European Champions League final tournament in Blakenberg, Belgium.
According to him, the main goal of the Montenegrin representative at ESPN will be to increase his level of form.
"We are debutants at the World Championship, we don't know the other teams, but as far as I can see, they are made up of the national teams of the countries they represent. We are in a group with the German champion, the Hanseatic team, the champions of Japan and Brazil, and we know what these countries mean in the world of goalball," said Čurović.
He emphasized that if Nikšić plays at its level, it can join the fight for the top of the table.
"We are not yet in the best shape, because we are timing it for the end of September and the beginning of October when the European Division A Championship is scheduled in Lahti. The championship in Espoo is a good test, an opportunity to show what we know in competition with the best teams in the world. I hope for a good game," said Čurović.
Montenegrin goalball in Espoo will be represented by Marko and Nikola Nikolić, Miloš Ranitović, Goran Macanović, Velizar Obradović and Matej Ledinek, and will be led by coach Nikola Čurović and his assistant Branislav Bulatović.
The duel between Nikšić and Hansa is scheduled for tomorrow at 15:30 PM, an hour earlier Montenegrin time.
Duels with Brazilian Sesi (10.15:16.30) and Japanese Ivi (XNUMX:XNUMX) are scheduled for Friday.
The performance of the Nikšić Goalball Club in Espoo is financed by the Paralympic Committee's program for 2025, which was supported by the Ministry of Sports and Youth of Montenegro.
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