Regional Military Mountain running Championship opened

Military sports manifestation “CISM Regional Military Mountain running Championship – Kopaonik 2014” was opened tonight at the “Konaci” complex on this Serbian mountain. The sports competition was opened by Brigadier General Sinisa Radovic, Chief of Delegation of Serbia at CISM.

On this occasion, he stated that sportsmen, with their participation in the, competition greatly contribute to promotion of military sports, development of physical abilities of members of armed forces and strengthening international military cooperation in the region.

- For the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Serbia, this is an extremely important activity and gathering, as it confirms results achieved so far that the Defence Ministry is proud of. The Delegation of Serbia at the International Military Sports Council – CISM has the task and commitment to improve physical capability of all members of the defence system, military sports and sports in general. All this is an incentive and a motivation for us. Our delegation will work as it has so far, with commitment and responsibility, and this will be our contribution to improving sports and enhancing capacities of the Ministry of Defence in all areas – General Radovic said.

He thanked everyone for contributing to gathering military sportsmen from the region at this championship, and for improving sports, enhancing diplomatic potential and respectability of their armed forces and states with their participation in such competitions.

- I wish you all plenty of luck in your competition, and for this contest to be without injuries. Although I consider everyone a winner, may the best ones be at the winning stand tomorrow - Chief of Delegation of Serbia at CISM said.

The attendees were also addressed by the President of the Municipality of Raska Ignjat Rakitic, who welcomed everyone and stressed the great cooperation between the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces of Serbia and the local self-government. He also wished fair play to all contestants and all luck in their competition.

The opening of the sports manifestation was also attended by Deputy Head of the General Staff Lieutenant General Jovica Draganic, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of Serbia, officials of the Municipality of Raska and numerous sports and Kopaonik fans. A cultural artistic program was held as a part of the opening ceremony.

Contestants of the championship, August 6 – 9, held within the sports training camp on Kopaonik, are teams of the armed forces of Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Slovenia, Montenegro and the host – Serbia. After a defile of military sportsmen, hymns of the Republic of Serbia and CISM were played. The flag of Serbia was raised by the representatives of the Armed Forces of Serbia who had won the first Regional Military Mountain running Championship in 2010, in Dimitrovgrad, and the CISM flag was raised by the winners of the last competition in 2012, also in Dimitrovgrad – representatives of the Armed Forces of Romania.

The competition on Kopaonik includes men’s running – 8.8 kilometers, or three lapses, and women’s running – 6 kilometers, or two lapses.