A century after water polo was introduced to Montenegro, the country has taken a historic step towards establishing its first women’s national team, with 22 young players attending an inaugural training camp this weekend.
The Water Polo and Swimming Federation of Montenegro has launched the initiative as part of its efforts to develop women’s water polo, creating a structured pathway for girls to progress towards representing their country internationally.
The 22 participants, born between 2010 and 2016, have been selected from clubs across Montenegro. Head coach Jelena Radunovic and assistant Sreten Latkovic will oversee the gathering until Monday, assessing the players’ abilities and the current state of the country’s emerging female talent pool.
The occasion is particularly significant for a nation with such a rich water polo heritage.
Montenegro has long been recognised as one of Europe’s traditional men’s water polo powers. Since independence in 2006, its men’s national team has won the 2008 European Championship, claimed World Championship silver in 2013 and reached three consecutive Olympic semifinals.
However, the country’s success in men’s water polo has never been matched by an established women’s national programme.
The initiative also carries wider social significance. Montenegro, like many countries in the region, continues to face challenges surrounding gender equality and women’s representation in sport. Creating a national pathway for female water polo players offers another opportunity to challenge traditional sporting boundaries and encourage greater participation among young girls.
Several candidates have already trained for years with clubs along Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, while a substantial number represent Buducnost, whose women’s team began operating in 2025.
Among those attending are Carna Markovic, Eleonora Tomasevic, Kalina Vukcevic, Nadja Djurkovic, Matea Rackovic, Nadja Vukcevic, Ivona Zelalic, Jasna Vucinic, Ksenija Brnovic, Anja Aleksic, Maja Malovic, Nadja Tripkovic, Nadja Miljenovic, Kalina Bacovic, Sofija Jovanovic, Nina Darmanovic, Anja Milovic, Irina Vukmirovic, Jadranka Dabovic, Dunja Cirkovic, Itana Djurovic and Teodora Djurovic.
While significant challenges remain in developing regular competition and a sustainable national programme, this first gathering represents considerably more than a training camp.
As Montenegro celebrates 100 years of water polo, it is beginning to build a future in which its female athletes can aspire to wear the national colours too.
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