Montenegro’s judo team will be represented by ten athletes at the Senior European Championships in Podgorica, according to the Judo Federation’s announcement.

The championship is set to take place from April 23rd to 27th.

The representatives for Montenegrin judo include Petar Radović and Jusuf Nurković (under 66 kg), Jahja Nurković (under 73 kg), Nikola and Nebojša Gardašević (under 81 kg), Novo Raičević (under 90 kg), Anto Dubreta and Slobodan Vukić (over 100 kg), along with Jovana Peković (under 78 kg) and Jovana Mrvaljević (over 78 kg).

In the mixed team competition, Tamara Gardašević and Aiša Nurković (under 57 kg) and Nataša Jeftić (under 70 kg) have signed up.

Coach Ilija Vukotić mentioned that predicting the athletes’ performances is challenging, emphasizing the high level of competition, which will feature numerous medalists from major international events such as world championships and the Olympic Games.

“Montenegro has not secured a medal at the European Championships in nearly 40 years, so simply qualifying for the championship is a significant achievement. Those who apply pressure on our competitors or naively expect results should recognize this fact,” Vukotić stated to the MINA agency.

He urged fans to support the athletes by attending the event at Morača Hall, highlighting the importance of support for Montenegrin judokas.

“We believe our judokas will perform at their best and even surpass expectations. The Federation has invested heavily in preparing the competitors, ensuring a warm welcome for the guests, and guaranteeing a smooth event. I am confident that Morača Hall will be filled to capacity, and that martial arts enthusiasts will have a great experience,” Vukotić concluded.

This championship will mark the Montenegrin team’s debut before the Podgorica audience in the mixed team competition.

The event will gather more than 450 judokas from 48 European nations in Podgorica.

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