10th CISM Mountain Running Challenge Cup underway

National military teams from a total of seven countries are competing today at the 10th CISM Mountain Running Challenge Cup - "Kopaonik 2021", hosted by the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, thanked the competitors from abroad for taking the time to come to our country despite the still undefeated Covid-19 and pointed out that he was extremely proud of our military athletes for proudly representing Serbia always and everywhere.



- I must say that today is a nice day to be the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Serbia. Our karateka Jovana Preković has won a gold medal for Serbia. She is one of the five members of the MOD’s Sports Unit to participate in the Olympic Games as members of our national team, and that is the second medal they have won for Serbia. So we are really proud - Minister Stefanović said, noting that members of this unit have won more than 70 medals at international and local competitions so far.

He also thanked all the military athletes in our defence system, saying that he knows very well how great a sacrifice it takes to achieve top results.

- I talked to our Nevena Jovanović (member of the "Kobre" detachment) some time ago and I know how much effort and private time a person has to invest, in addition to performing regular tasks, to prepare and be in top shape in order to be able to represent their country. I want to wish you a lot of success in this demanding discipline, and we will continue to invest in you, which I think is very important, and nurture and build friendship through sports in competitions like this in the coming years - Minister Stefanović said.



Declaring the event that is held in our country for the 10th year in a row open, Minister Stefanović told the participants from other countries to feel at home in Serbia and to continue to achieve success.

In addition to the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces team, military teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Slovenia, which are also members of CISM, are competing for medals at the 10th CISM Mountain Running Challenge Cup.

The competition is hosted, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, by the delegation of the Republic of Serbia to the International Military Sports Council (CISM), and the organization was facilitated by Kopaonik National Park, municipalities of Raška and Brus and Public Company "Ski Resorts of Serbia", with the support of the Serbian Athletics Federation.



The opening ceremony for the 10th CISM Mountain Running Challenge Cup was also attended by the Commandant of the Military Academy, Major General Bojan Zrnić, PhD, who is also the Head of the Delegation of the Republic of Serbia to CISM.