This article is part of the special feature “20 Years of Montenegrin Sport”. The full publication is available at the link.
First and foremost, it is both an honour and a privilege to be part of this story, part of the great achievements of Montenegrin basketball, but above all part of Montenegrin sport as someone who has always genuinely loved and lived it. I was an athlete, later had the opportunity to lead the national federation, but above all I have always remained a devoted supporter of Montenegrin sport.
At the beginning of my career, as a young girl dreaming big dreams, I learned and imagined what was possible by watching the successes of our national teams and athletes. I will never forget Málaga, nor the London 2012 Olympic Games. I will never forget the great achievements of our men’s water polo team, nor everything our women’s handball team accomplished afterwards. Those were the moments that showed all of us who came later that anything was possible.
In the years that followed, many of our individual athletes also achieved remarkable success, leaving a lasting legacy and continuing to inspire new generations. I would inevitably leave someone out if I tried to list them all, but what all of those achievements have in common is the message they convey: that Montenegro, regardless of its size, can stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best.
I do not think we are always fully aware of just how remarkable the achievements of Montenegrin sport have been over these past twenty years. With such a small talent pool and a system that has often faced numerous challenges and significant room for improvement, we have still managed to produce results that have earned admiration around the world.
I spent much of my career abroad, and countless times I was asked the same question after saying I came from a country of just over 600,000 people: “How do you do it?” The answer has never been simple. It is a combination of character, pride, talent, determination and that special emotion we carry whenever we represent our country.
I had the privilege of growing up surrounded by people who demonstrated what it truly means to love and represent Montenegro. They laid the foundations and showed all of us who followed how to wear the national jersey with pride.
From the first time I had the opportunity to represent Montenegro after the restoration of independence until the final day of my playing career, I experienced the most beautiful emotion that sport can offer. It is the purest and most genuine feeling of all – unconditional love for your country.
It is difficult to explain that emotion to those who have never experienced it. It cannot be bought, taught, or artificially created. It is simply something you carry within you, and that remains part of who you are forever.
Today, looking at Montenegrin sport not only as a former athlete but also as someone who has had the opportunity to understand the system from within, I believe that former athletes have a special responsibility. We have an obligation to give back to Montenegrin sport at least a part of what it has given us.
And it has given us far more than medals and results. It has given us an identity. It has given us a sense of belonging. It has given us the opportunity to be part of something greater than ourselves.
I believe that the culture of representing our national team still has room to grow and become even stronger. The children and young athletes who are coming through today should learn from those who lived that emotion sincerely, without calculation and without limits.
That is why I hope the years ahead will bring even greater achievements. I hope we will build a stronger system, create better conditions and establish even firmer foundations for the generations to come.
Happy 20th anniversary of Montenegro’s independence. May the years ahead bring new stories, new achievements and even more reasons to be proud of Montenegrin sport.
