In Macedonia, sport is a significant part of everyday life, bringing joy, inspiration, and establishing friendships. People engage in sports, whether it be for regular play, for the sake of good health, or for showing support to their favorite teams or players during sports events. Do you know some of the notable achievements that hold a cherished spot in the hearts of the Macedonian people?
The most famous sport in Macedonia is obviously football and a large number of people here regularly pay more attention to that discipline. However, Macedonians often watch basketball or handball, due to achievements from the past.
There are many renowned legendary footballers which contributed to increasing the prestige and popularity of that sport. Professionals like Goran Pandev or Darko Pancev are true legends who became internationally famous in Europe because of their phenomenal careers. Only a few Macedonian players have achieved such popularity. Each of those players won the most important European trophy – the UEFA Champions League, or multiple times the title “Player of the year” and “Top scorer”. To this day, because of these players, many children train hard every day to become professionals like them. Their football adventures and stories serve as huge inspiration and motivation for the young generation.
When it comes to success in handball in 2002, the women’s team of Kometal Skopje won the Champions League. In 2017 and 2018, the women’s team of Vardar Skopje made it to the final, but unfortunately, they experienced great disappointment due to repeated losses in those matches. Regarding the men’s team, Vardar won the Champions League in 2017 and also in 2019. However, in the context of the Macedonian National Handball Team’s history, they haven’t yet achieved any other important success.
Macedonian National Basketball doesn’t have a rich past, but in 2011, they achieved a remarkable fourth-place finish during the European Championship, which still stands as the best result in Macedonian basketball history.
Let’s discuss the accomplishments of Macedonian athletes in the Olympic Games up until now. Before Macedonia peacefully separated from Yugoslavia in 1991, there were numerous Macedonian athletes who competed for Yugoslavia in several Olympic Games. From 1956 to 1989, these athletes won a total of 13 medals! One notable example is Blagoje Vidinić, who was Macedonian representative in the football Olympic squad during the 1956 Games and won a silver medal. Later on, in 2000 and officially as an independent state, Macedonian won a bronze medal after taking third place in a wrestling contest. During the Olympic Games which took place in the Japanese capital city Tokyo in 2020, Macedonian participant Dejan Georgievski won a silver medal in taekwondo competition. Earlier in 2000 in Australian Sydney, Magomed Ibragimov won a bronze medal for wrestling in the middleweight category.
It’s also important to mention the Paralympic Games. Macedonian athletes won a total of five medals. Three medals while competing in Yugoslav jerseys, and the other two while representing Macedonia in 2004 and 2012. In Athens, Vanco Karanfilov won a silver medal in shooting with over 600 points. Then, in 2012, Olivera Nakovska Bikova achieved the best result in the same discipline, earning a gold medal. Before that, she had already set a new world record during qualifiers and then surpassed it again at the Paralympics with an impressive score of 475.7 points!
Without a doubt, the achievements of Macedonian athletes in various sports have left a lasting mark on the nation’s sports history. As the years go by, there will undoubtedly be more chances for Macedonian athletes to showcase their power and play spirit on the global stage. With continued support and investment in sports, we can expect even more remarkable achievements that will strengthen Macedonia’s position in the sport worldwide.
Marcel Mańkowski
Sources:
https://pl.frwiki.wiki/wiki/Sport_en_Mac%C3%A9doine_du_Nord
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonia_at_the_2012_Summer_Olympics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Macedonia_at_the_Paralympics
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