19.10.2016.
General Dikovic receives the most successful athletes
In the presence of members of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic, with members of the extended Collegium, received today in Banjica 2 barracks in Belgrade, medal winners at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio, who are members of the families of members of the Armed Forces and retired members, as well as military athletes who have achieved significant results in the previous period.Congratulating the Olympic and Paralympic athletes on great success and winning Olympic medals, the Chief of General Staff pointed out that only the best ones can participate in such a contest, the ones who are adorned by the commitment, courage, discipline and sacrifice, and that the members of the Serbian Armed Forces are proud of them.
- We are especially proud of you because, in some way, you represented the Serbian Armed Forces, as you come from the military families or you were the members of the Armed Forces, so you own values inherent in the military profession that definitely helped you to achieve great results – General Dikovic told silver-medal winner Tijana Bogdanović, bronze-medal winner Nemanja Dimitrijevic and Mitar Palikuca and Nenad Pajic, selector of the Serbian Shooting National Team.
The Chief of General Staff pointed out that a soldier and an athlete have a lot in common as both professions require a huge amount of work, dedication, and care for colleagues and the team, but also a commitment to the goal and mission.- The Serbian Armed Forces is at your disposal to help you as much as it can, in achieving the top results also in the future – General Dikovic said.
Addressing the military athletes, Chief of General Staff said that their top results are confirmation that sport occupies an important place in the Serbian Armed Forces, and that everything that was said for our Olympic and Paralympic athletes applies also for Corporal Srdjan Ristic, who recently broke the Guinness record for the number of push-ups, Lieutenant Commander Igor Ignjatovic and Master Sergeant Zoran Radovic, who won the first place, and Master Sergeant Radosav Nedic and Mica Vorkapic, who won the third place at the 20th competition in shooting rally.
- With your successes you presented your units and the Serbian Armed Forces in the best light thus contributing to the development of a healthy competitive spirit, which all our members should possess – Dikovic said and concluded that only clearly defined objectives deliver results that athletes know very well, and prove with top results.
The Chief of General Staff presented the deserving athletes with letters of gratitude and awards. On behalf of the absent silver-winning women's volleyball player Bianca, her father Lieutenant Colonel Nikola Busa received the award.Thanking for the congratulations on behalf of the athletes, Tijana Bogdanovic emphasized that she was honoured to address the audience as the youngest one in the team.
- For us, the Olympians, such awards for all the effort and work mean a lot, in addition to medals, motivating us to continue on the paths of success, the Taekwondo Olympic vice champion said.
