The Executive Board of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee (MOC), based on the applications received from National Federations and the achievements of Montenegrin athletes, has selected the best individuals and teams for 2023. Due to the outstanding performances of our representatives in numerous international competitions and excellent results of national teams and individual competitors, the members of the Executive Board had a very challenging task in making their selections. Nenad Dulović has been recognized as the most successful athlete of Montenegro in 2023. As the World Vice-Champion in karate, he achieved the highest result in Montenegrin karate since independence, being part of the fifth-placed team in the team competition at the global karate event in Budapest. In 2023, this member of the Omladinac karate club also won a gold medal at the Balkan Championship in Tirana. Nenad Dulović is the third karate representative to be declared the most successful athlete of Montenegro, following Marina Raković in 2016 and Mario Hodžić in 2019. Following their excellent performance at the World Championships in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, the women's handball national team has again received recognition as the most successful female national team. By securing seventh place in the tournament held in Herning, our female handball players have been the best women's national team, according to the MOC, for the seventh consecutive year. With good results, the team led by Bojana Popović secured a spot in the Olympic qualification tournament, where they will compete against Germany, Slovenia, and Paraguay in April 2024. In 2023, they also made a strong start in qualifying for the 2024 European Championship in Hungary. Montenegrin basketball players also had a fantastic representation on the world stage this year, coming close to reaching the quarter-finals of the World Championship in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Under the leadership of Boško Radović, the team impressed the world with their outstanding performance against the United States. It achieved its best-ever placement in the history of Montenegrin basketball, finishing in 11th place at the World Championships. As a result, Montenegrin basketball has earned its first opportunity to compete for an Olympic spot, with the basketball team facing Olympic qualification in Riga in July 2024. The phenomenal performances in Manila earned the men's basketball national team the title of the most successful men's national team in 2023. European Vice Champion in boxing among competitors under 22 years old, Bojana Gojković, once again confirmed her status as a rising star in our sports. With her impressive performance at the European Championship in Budva and Podgorica, a member of BC Budva, she continued to earn top medals, with the silver from our capital being her most significant achievement in 2023. Bojana, who has been a part of MOC's award ceremonies since she was 15, was again named the most successful young female athlete, earning her sixth award. In addition to the European silver in the 57-kilogram category, Bojana secured second place in the international "Lales Cup" in Riga and participated in the European Games in Poland in 2023. Moreover, Montenegro's most successful young athletes know what it is like to be under the spotlight. Just like last year, the Executive Board of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee has decided to award this recognition to boxer Mirko Šarčević and bocce player Gracija Stjepčević. Mirko Šarčević defended his recognition with a brilliant performance at the Youth European Championship in Armenia, where he won gold in the 71-kilogram category. The talented athlete from Bijelo Polje has taken a step further in his career, following his European bronze from the previous year, by becoming the champion of the Old Continent and receiving another award for the best young boxer of Montenegro from the Montenegrin Boxing Federation. Gracija Stjepčević had another memorable year. The young man from Tivat, now a world champion in speed bocce for competitors under 23 years old, won gold at the Youth World Championship in Algeria in the individual discipline. He also progressed at the senior level by winning bronze at the European Championship in the "closeness and shooting into the circle" discipline in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The awards will be presented to the recipients at a ceremony at Villa Gorica on Wednesday, December 27.
