The Montenegro national water polo team is embarking on a new phase of preparations for their fifth participation in the Olympic Games.

The team’s next destination is Montpellier, the host city of the Games, where the “sharks” will engage in training and compete in two official matches against France on June 29 and July 1.

Coach Vladimir Gojković stated, “After our initial preparations in Herceg Novi, we had an excellent training camp in Los Angeles with the USA team, where we played two official and five friendly matches. We managed to work with nearly the entire team, with the exception of Miroslav Perković, who joined us in Trebinje. There, we focused on the fundamentals and reviewed some strategies we had practiced earlier.”

Following their time in France, the team will travel to Serbia, specifically Šabac, to participate in a prestigious tournament scheduled from July 4 to 7.

On July 4, Montenegro will face Germany, followed by a match against Romania the next day. On July 6, they will have two matches—one against Australia and another against Serbia. The final day will see them play against France once more.

Gojković emphasized, “This will be the final rigorous test in a tournament format before the Olympic Games.”

The “sharks” will conclude their preparations in Montenegro, starting from Herceg Novi and then moving to Podgorica.

According to Gojković, “In Podgorica, the Australian team will visit us, and in the days leading up to our departure for Paris, we will also host the Serbian national team.”

The excitement for the Olympics is building, with less than a month remaining until the Games commence.

Gojković noted, “There was a similar excitement in Doha during the World Championship when we were fighting for an Olympic berth. Preparing for the Olympic Games is easier for coaches because all the athletes are eager to give their utmost to ensure they are fully ready for what’s to come. Each player arrives at the Games fully prepared and is ready to give everything in the pool.”

During the group stage of the Games in Paris, Montenegro is set to compete against Croatia (July 28, 16:35), Greece (July 30, 19:30), Italy (August 1, 16:35), the USA (August 3, 16:35), and Romania (August 5, 21:40).

Four teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

“This Olympic tournament might be the strongest one yet, as all teams are evenly matched—there is no clear outsider where points can be easily guaranteed. A large number of teams are vying for medals, and we hope to be among the contenders. Our group is particularly challenging, and we must navigate it to pursue further ambitions,” Gojković concluded.

The following players will travel to Montpellier and Šabac:

Dejan Lazović, Aljoša Mačić, Kanstantin Averka, Jovan Vujović, Vlado Popadić, Đuro Radović, Miroslav Perković, Vladan Spaić, Dušan Matković, Vasilije Radović, Petar Tešanović, Marko Mršić, Stefan Vidović, Bogdan Đurđić, Danilo Radović, Dimitrije Obradović, Đorđije Stanojević, and Lazar Andrić.

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