Today in Prnjavor, the 10th International Handball Tournament “Mika 2024” was officially opened, featuring 16 teams with approximately 250 young handball players from Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Over the three-day tournament, 36 matches will be played, with the teams divided into two age categories – cadets and pioneers.
Mile Šljivić, the President of the Organizing Committee and coordinator of youth selections for the Handball Club RK “Sloga” from Prnjavor, expressed gratitude to all teams that have come to the tournament, which has been preserving the memory of the great athlete and hero Miroslav Mikerević for 10 years.
The mayor of Prnjavor, Darko Tomaš, thanked the Mikerević family, as well as Šljivić, Uglješa Glamočić, and their families for their effort and enthusiasm in contributing to the development of handball in the city and organizing this tournament for 10 years.
“It’s an honor that Prnjavor and RK Sloga are the hosts of the tournament, and especially gratifying that our club gathers more and more young people every year and leads them on the right path,” said Tomaš.
Tijana Mikerević, Mika’s daughter, who attended the tournament opening, stated that it is both an honor and pleasure for the entire family that the tournament has been held for 10 years, especially since it was her father’s lifelong wish to have such a top-notch handball competition.
Jelena Despotov, a coach at the “Rastimo” handball camp in Novi Sad, mentioned that this is the first time they have come to Prnjavor with the youngest members, and the children are thrilled with the reception and companionship, already expressing interest in returning next year.
“We have been friends with the Handball Club Sloga from Prnjavor for a long time. Mika used to bring children from Prnjavor to our camp. I hope our cooperation will continue,” said Despotov.
Đorđe Jakšić, one of the founders of the “Rastimo” handball camp, told Srna that over the past 28 years, 13,206 young handball players have passed through the camp, with 386 becoming national team players.
At the opening ceremony, acknowledgments were given to tournament participants, sponsors, and everyone who helped organize the tournament, and members of the folklore section of the Serbian Educational and Cultural Society “Prosvjeta” Prnjavor performed several dances.
The closing of the tournament, sponsored by the city of Prnjavor, as well as the announcement of winners, are scheduled for tomorrow.
The “Mika 2024” tournament is held in memory of Miroslav Mikerević, who contributed significantly to the development of handball in Prnjavor and Derventa. This tournament is included in the calendars of the Handball Federations of the Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mikerević will also be remembered for saving 38 Serbian soldiers captured in the military facility “Rabić” near Derventa in April 1992 without the use of force and without casualties, for which he was awarded the Order of Milan Tepić, the highest military honor of the Republila Srpska.
Source: Glas Srpske
