Two years ago, at the World Championship in Spain, Montenegrin handball players finished in 22nd place, marking their worst performance in major competitions.

It appeared that the “lionesses” were experiencing a decline, but their performances in the last two championships demonstrated that they remain elite and have the potential to stay at the top for years to come.

Following their European bronze, clinched after an intense overtime victory against the reigning Olympic (and world) champions France, Bojana Popović’s team achieved 7th place at the World Championships hosted by Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Considering that Đurđina Jauković, Milena Raičević, Jovanka Radičević, and Ema Alivodić were absent from the squad compared to the EHF Euro, and with Marta Batinović sidelined due to injury in the fourth match, the significance of this accomplishment becomes clear.

“It was wonderful. We are truly happy to have returned, as we gave it our all. We had many strong matches, which provided us with the opportunity to gauge our capabilities. We have some minor areas to improve on, but I’m proud of how we persevered. We experienced some unfortunate luck with Marta’s injury, but finishing the championship healthy was our top priority,” said Marina Rajčić.

Montenegro will aim for a visa to the Olympic Games for the fourth time through qualifying rounds, facing Germany, Slovenia, and Paraguay. This seems more manageable compared to previous years: 2012 (France, Romania, Japan), 2016 (Romania, Denmark, Uruguay), and 2021 (Norway and Romania).

“We have defeated Norway; nothing is out of reach for us. There is a lot to anticipate from this team since we’ve proved we can compete with anyone and secure victories if we minimize our mistakes. For most of these players, this was their first championship where they had a leading role. They embraced the opportunity, and I believe they made the most of it,” emphasized the only Montenegrin handball player poised to potentially compete in her fourth Olympic Games.

Rajčić debuted in major competitions back in 2010 at just 17 years old and has played an active role in all significant achievements. Now at 30, she stands as the most experienced member of the national team and believes this generation has the potential to achieve remarkable successes.

“We’ve already elevated our level, especially considering we previously lost matches by larger margins of two or three points. In the past, even our best teams lost by 10-15 points. Last year, we suffered a 17-point defeat to the Netherlands, and now we’ve narrowed that down to a couple of last-minute goals, some mistakes, and fatigue that disrupts our game. We eagerly await the return of our injured players, as I believe we can make history with them,” Rajčić concluded.

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