The remarkable last season was celebrated in style, allowing Montenegrin karate to enter the new year with outstanding success – a silver medal. Nemanja Mikulić achieved this in the 75 kg category at the Premier League in Paris.

After a decade-long wait for the Premier League final, where Montenegro triumphed in Salzburg, Almir Cecunjanin, now in the role of coach, reflects on the impressive performances of the 21-year-old fighter from the Whites in Paris without any doubts:

– The Premier League in Paris is the highest quality tournament I have attended in over 20 years of experience at major competitions! With five categories featuring 32 top-ranked competitors each, the level of competition was such that I didn’t leave the hall for the entire event. It’s unfortunate that Nikola Malović could not qualify from his group in the final match against his Moroccan opponent. He had a 2:0 lead in the 84kg category, but in this level of competition, mistakes are costly, and after two wins, he was eliminated. On the other hand, Mikulić turned the tables in his last bout and topped his group. Although he secured a victory against the Egyptian competitor, it was the win against Enes Bulut, a tough rival he had constantly struggled against, that left the strongest impression on me. He led by a remarkable 7:1 and ultimately won 4:0, executing an incredible fight without any errors – Cecunjanin told “Vijesti”.

Only three of our athletes were eligible to compete in Paris based on the WKF rankings.

– Nenad Dulović could not attend due to an injury, but as the reigning world and European vice-champion, he has already secured a spot for the World Championships in Cairo this October. Competing in such a prestigious event requires navigating a rigorous qualification process, with only 32 slots available worldwide. After the results from Paris, I anticipate that Mikulić will move up to around 10th place, while Malović will be in 21st. A favorable circumstance is that the Egyptians, who have excelled in global karate in recent years, are the hosts, and only one representative per country is allowed to compete. In Paris, there were several Egyptians in each category, and they managed to win three gold medals across five categories – Cecunjanin remarked.

What is the pathway for contenders ranked above 32nd to qualify?

– The best opportunity lies in the European Championship in May in Yerevan, where the top eight in each category will qualify. Participants must also engage in Serie A tournaments to accumulate points. The new system favors nations that invest more, but maintaining that is financially challenging for us. We are still awaiting our budget, and any delays in its approval won’t aid our cause. Fortunately, we have excellent management in Karate Savaez under the leadership of Predrag Perković, and as a coach, I’m pleased with the efforts made within our clubs and by those leading them,” Cecunjanin explained.

You’ve demonstrated last year that you’re competitive with the world’s top karate athletes. What is the secret to karate being one of the few sports from Montenegro that stays on par with the best?

– We have actively participated in seminars, organizing many ourselves and inviting the best from around the globe. Last year, renowned kata specialists like Luca Valdesi conducted seminars in Montenegro, along with world champions in combat such as Predrag Stojadinov and Khaldun Alagas. In March, Bar will host Rafael Agajev, one of the greatest karate athletes of all time, fulfilling a personal desire of mine. He had a significant victory over me in Russia two decades ago and has won six world and 11 European golds, finishing his career with an Olympic silver in Tokyo. The seminar in Bar is a great opportunity for all coaches from the country and region to enhance their knowledge and keep up with global trends. Agajev was at the height of his career in 2008, shortly after he became the last world champion in both the middleweight and the overall category in Tokyo. This competition marked the beginning of karate’s Olympic journey, and all signs suggest we will indeed be present at the Olympics again in 2032 – Cecunjanin concluded.

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