World long jump champion Ivana Spanovic and world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic were announced Serbia’s best athletes in 2023 by the Olympic Committee of Serbia.

Spanovic received this recognition for the fourth time in her career, and Djokovic for the 10th time.

 

The best in team sports is the basketball player Strahinja Stojacic, the European and world basketball champions are the best men’s team, while the European vice-champions, Serbian female volleyball players, are the best women’s team.

The “Bobana Momcilovic Velickovic” award for the most successful young athlete went to Angelina Topic, and the best coach is Goran Obradovic, the coach of Ivana Spanovic.

The “Olympic Heart – General Djukic” trophy was awarded to basketball player Borisa Simanic, who was left without a kidney due to an injury at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila.

In addition to the leadership of the Olympic Committee of Serbia, the ceremony in the House of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia featured Minister of Sports Zoran Gajic ,the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic, the Minister of Education Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, the President of the Sports Association of Serbia Davor Stefanek, the basketball coach Svetislav Pesic and others.

The President of the Serbian Olympic Committee Bozidar Maljkovic said: “Last year, our athletes won many medals and trophies. But I want to emphasize that not only medals and trophies are indicators of where our sport is, but also a large number of successfully organized international competitions in our country, including world and European championships. This shows that our sports workers are among the best in the world.”