The Adria region is witnessing a remarkable surge in youth achievements across various disciplines, from sports to technology. Young talents are making significant strides, showcasing their skills and bringing pride to their respective countries. This wave of accomplishments not only highlights individual excellence but also reflects the region’s commitment to nurturing and supporting its emerging talents.
Albanian Girls Footballers Defeat Israel
Footballers Defeat Israel The Albanian U17 girls’ football team defeated Israel 2-1 in November at the Elbasan Arena. This was a crucial first-round match in the qualifiers for the 2025 European Championship. Goals by Refjone Luari in the 27th minute and Aiše Sulejmani in the 96th minute secured the victory.
Matches for Group B4 of the first qualifying round were held in Albania from 30 October to 5 November. Albania finished second in the group with three points, while Kosovo topped the standings with four points.
Tea Kovačević Wins U16 Masters in Monte Carlo
Bosnian tennis player Tea Kovačević (14) continues to achieve remarkable results, most recently winning the U16 Masters in Monte Carlo. Although eligible to compete in the U14 and U16 categories, she chose the senior category, a rare decision in the history of Tennis Europe Masters tournaments. After three consecutive victories in Group A, Tea triumphed in the finals against Vlada Razina of Belarus. This gold medal is a significant boost for Tea and her coach, Marko Kovačević, as they aim for continued success in upcoming seasons.
Budva Athlete Wins Bronze at Jiu-Jitsu World Championship
At the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in Heraklion, Greece, Montenegrin competitor Luka Trninić from the NE WAZA club in Budva won a bronze medal in the U21 under 95kg No-Gi category. After defeating athletes from Greece and Mongolia, Luka was stopped in the semifinals.
His younger brother, Mateja Trninić, despite an excellent performance, did not win a medal. This result, alongside a silver medal by Đorđe Klać, reaffirms the NE WAZA club’s exceptional training and achievements.
Team CarGo Wins Programming Competition
Competition The CarGo Team, consisting of high school students from Nikšić and Podgorica, won the “Knowledge is Choice” programming competition organised by the Čini Dobro Foundation. Students from five schools formed teams to develop solutions over three weeks. This web programming competition is the highlight of a nine-month ICT Cortex education program, now in its third year. The program aims to complement formal education by offering practical mentorship and experience in developing web applications.
Matea Stanović, A Boy Who Crochets
Clothes and Toys Unlike his peers who favour sports, Matea Stanović, an eighth-grade student from the “Oktoih” Primary School in Podgorica, has taken up crocheting. He runs a social media page, creating items for himself, his family, and friends, as well as taking orders. He started three years ago after watching videos on making crochet toys. Self-taught, Matea now expertly crochets clothes, toys, and baby rattles. One of his proudest achievements is a dress he crocheted for his aunt. Recently, he also enrolled in a sewing course to pursue his dream of becoming a fashion designer.
Križevci Majorettes Win Five Medals
The Križevci Majorettes won two golds, two silvers, and one bronze on the first day of the World Cup in Pistoia, Italy. They achieved first place in the senior baton parade category and second in the senior pompon parade category, among other strong performances. Founded in 2006, the Križevci Majorettes have been part of the Croatian Majorette and Pom-Pon Teams Association since 2008.
Bronze for Urban Hamer at Judo Tournament
Young Slovenian judoka Urban Hamer secured a bronze medal in the under-73kg category at the 41st “Iršič Memorial” international judo tournament held in Maribor.
Competing against strong opponents, Hamer achieved two decisive victories before losing to a finalist from Austria. His performance was the highest among participants from Judo Club Velenje.
Ballerinas from Gračanica Win Gold in Prague
Gold in Prague Ballerinas from the Ballet School of the Gračanica Cultural Center won three golds, two silvers, and one fifth-place finish at the “Fast into Dance International” festival in Prague from 7-9 November. The competition gathered around 2,000 participants. Notable winners included Emilija Mihajlović, Neda Aritonović, and Petra Manitasević in various classical ballet solo categories.
Serbian Students Win Medals at Knowledge Olympiad
At the 14th International Knowledge Olympiad held in Antalya, Turkey, students from Belgrade’s Mathematical Grammar School won six gold medals. Andrej Drobnjaković earned gold in physics and chemistry, while Stefan Šebez achieved gold in mathematics. Vladimir Đurica also won gold in mathematics and physics, and 15-year-old Nina Šušić triumphed in mathematics. The students’ exceptional performance underscores Serbia’s bright future in education and science.
Erza Muminović Wins Silver
Kosovo’s young judoka Erza Muminović (22) claimed silver at the Sarajevo European Open 2024 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The competition featured 105 participants from 19 countries across two continents. Erza was among six judokas representing Kosovo, led by coach Fatos Tabaku.
Stefan Melnik Places Sixth at Chess World Championship
Stefan Melnik from SK “Multi Essence” placed sixth at the IBSA World Individual Chess Championship for visually impaired and blind players held in Petrovac, Montenegro. Competing for the first time, the 16-year-old earned 5.5 points. Stefan aims to achieve even greater success in future tournaments.
Macedonian Karateka Bojan Kostov Wins Bronze
Macedonian karateka Bojan Kostov won bronze in the -52kg category at the 11th World Karate Championship for Cadets, Juniors, and U21 held in Chile. Kostov defeated competitors from Romania, Serbia, Morocco, Indonesia, and Russia. Despite narrowly missing the finals, his bronze medal is a significant achievement for the Macedonian team.
