This article is part of the special feature “20 Years of Montenegrin Sport”. The full publication is available at the link.
When Montenegro embarked on its own path in 2006, many spoke about numbers – a small country, a small market, a small pool of athletes. Those of us who lived through sport knew that greatness has never been measured by population size but by the size of the heart, the strength of character, and the willingness to give every last ounce of energy for the national emblem.
Over these twenty years, Montenegrin sport has written chapters that will endure forever. An Olympic medal, European titles, World Championship finals, outstanding clubs and generations of athletes who pushed boundaries and proved that Montenegro does not have to be the biggest to stand among the greatest.
Sport has brought us far more than medals and victories. During the formative years of our country, it played a vital role in shaping our national identity, self-confidence and sense of belonging, showing the world the character Montenegro displays when competing for its emblem, its name and its flag.
I had the privilege of experiencing part of that journey from within – dreaming the impossible with our “Lionesses”, falling and rising together, winning Montenegro’s first Olympic medal in 2012 and, only a few months later, the European title. Those were not merely sporting triumphs. They were moments when the entire nation breathed as one.
I am especially proud that women’s sport was at the forefront of breaking new ground during those years, raising awareness of the strength, courage and leadership of women in our society. It also sent a powerful message to girls across Montenegro: no dream is too great for those who believe, work hard and refuse to give up.
Yet the greatest victory of Montenegrin sport is not measured in medals. Its greatest achievement is that it has inspired generations of children to believe that, even from a small country, they can reach the biggest stage in the world. It has left behind values that will guide those who come after us.
As we look back on these twenty years, we should take pride not only in what has been achieved. We must also take responsibility for what lies ahead. Because Montenegro has never won through numbers. Montenegro has always won through the heart.
Long live Montenegro.
