Amir Papazi and Marija Vuković are the best athletes of 2025, in the traditional selection of the Athletics Federation.
A member of the Tempo Athletics Club, he won a gold medal at the Games of the Small Countries of Europe in the javelin throw 69,68 meters last year, and his best result in the javelin throw - 73,91 meters, is worth 1015 points according to the WA tables.
Papazi achieved this result, which is both his personal and Montenegrin record, at an international meeting in Zagreb, where he won first place.
He was fifth at the European Team Championship - Group Three (60.22), and 20th at the European Throwing Cup (70.39).
"To be honest, I didn't expect to be the best senior, because there is always great competition. The recognition is a privilege and an honor, it certainly impresses me. I will do my best to justify the trust with results," Papazi told the MINA agency.
He recalled that 2025 was a difficult year, that there were injuries, but also good results.
"I continued training in Novi Sad with coach Fedja Kamasi. I liked the change and I hope for good results next year," said Papazi.
Speaking about his ambitions for 2026, he emphasized that he expects to compete at the European Winter Cup in Cyprus.
"I hope to be at the level of my personal best, where I had a great start to the year last season, so I hope it will be the same this time. I have a big undertaking ahead of me, because I will try to qualify for the European Championship," said Papazi.
Vuković, a member of Lovćen, was a finalist at the World Championships in Tokyo in the high jump with a season-best result of 192 centimeters.
She was also a finalist at the European Indoor Championships and won eighth place with a jump of 189 centimeters.
She triumphed at the Balkan Indoor Championships in Belgrade, and won first place at the Games of the Small Countries of Europe in Andorra, and the European Team Championships in Maribor.
She finished second at the Balkan Championships in Volos.
This year she competed in 19 international competitions, eight of which were indoors and 11 outdoors.
Her best result achieved at the World Championships in Tokyo, 1,92, is worth 1140 points according to the WA tables.
Vuković did not attend the ceremony to announce the best due to her preparation obligations.
The best juniors were Mihailo Roćenović (Mornar) and Anabela Mujovi (Sanja, Bar), while the best younger juniors were Tara members Radovan Sošić and Anđelina Lašić.
In the pioneer competition, Sergej Martinovic (Cetinje) and Olja Simićević (Tara) were declared the best.
By decision of the Board of Directors, Special Awards were given to Marija Bogavac (Jedinstvo), Anđela Drobnjak (Jedinstvo), Vesna Kljajević (Tara), Dragan Pešić (Lovćen) and Matija Vojvodić (Mornar).
Special awards were given to Anđela Đuranović (Sanja), while awards for achieved results were given to Ivan Kukuličič (Zeta 2012), Dijana Stanišić (Sparta), Stefan Džaković (Rudar), Boban Madžgalj (Orion), Miljan Kukuličić (Mornar), Enes Erović (Jedinstvo) and Uroš Kotlaja (Rudar).
The Association of Athletic Veterans of Montenegro chose Aleksa Maliković from Orion Ulcinj and Radmila Miladinović from Milenijum from Podgorica as the best veteran.
The Board of Directors awarded the ASCG Golden Plaque to the general sponsor, Elektroprivreda Crne Gore, and Special Recognition to Veselin Petrušić for his long-term contribution to the development of athletics in Montenegro and to Branislav Maslovarić for his 50th anniversary in athletics.
The coach of the national athletics team, Osman Erović, has received a special recognition from European Athletics for his contribution to the development of athletics as a coach in Montenegro.
President Milorad Vuletić said that Montenegrin athletes won ten medals this year - four gold, silver and five bronze and met 27 standards for international competitions.
He emphasized that 39 records were set, 22 in the men's competition and 17 in the women's competition.
"My heart is full when we summarize the results and when it is concluded that a lot has been achieved, we have truly valuable results," said Vuletić.
According to him, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the Montenegrin Olympic Committee and the Electric Power Company of Montenegro made an exceptional contribution to the implementation of the activities.
"Next year, we expect a lot of international competitions, the implementation of 24 national competitions, 17 rallies," Vuletić announced.
He announced that the children's athletics project in schools, seminars for coaches and referees, as well as the implementation of financing programs for the best seniors and juniors, will continue.
"We have a lot of obligations and challenges ahead of us, where we expect the help of the Ministry of Sports, MOC, and sponsors. We certainly hope that our competitors will continue with more significant successes on the domestic and international scene, because a large number of competitions are coming up. Finally, congratulations once again to the awardees, as well as to the Association of Athletic Veterans, which achieved exceptional success at the Balkan Championships, winning a total of 21 medals," concluded Vuletić.
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