I was promoted to the Buducnost first team at the age of 15. The thought of training for the first time with all of the great players was a huge responsibility for me. Looking back, I felt the same nerves, the same tingling sensation as when I stepped out on the court to play the final. All of my idols were there, but there were no egos in the dressing room. One of the experienced players, Snezana Damjanac, played in my position. She moved to left wing so I can have a go at the right wing. That was the sort of family we were.
From the first moment at Buducnost, it all felt so familiar; warm, friendly. We were now a family. I was embraced and mentored by the more experienced players, the same way I am doing at Buducnost today. There was a lot of support, from day one.
Everything changed from that first training session. Every practice became like a match, and every match felt like a final. Some players had the strength, some had the power. I gave my absolute best every day. That was my thing.
We went through so much together at Buducnost. We believed in hard work and friendship, but above all, we lived for handball. There were ups and down, as always, but we believed that we were destined for success. Back then, we were not even aware that we were building a foundation of a team that is going to be at the top for years to come.
After 12 beautiful years at Buducnost it felt like I achieved all I could at the club, and it was time to move on. I was 24 and hungry for new challenges.
My next destination was to Hungary and to Györ.
Moving to Hungary was a big thing for me, but I felt I was the right move. It allowed me to see a different perspective and open myself for new experiences. I have always followed my inner feeling. It guides my every decision and I was never wrong.
But, if you want succeed, you need more than just good players. You need a good atmosphere, a good spirit and a positive vibe. That is much harder to create than a team of good individuals.
Despite the sudden change of scenery, Györ soon felt warm and familiar to me. Wonderful people at the club made me feel at home very quickly. And soon it all clicked on the court as well.
Once I settled Györ many pieces of the puzzle fell in place and both 2012 and 2013 were the best years of my career for for me, my club and for my country. However they were also the most challenging.
I value all competitions equally, but the Olympic Games are a notch above any other.
In London 2012, we made it to the Olympic final but lost a hard-fought battle with Norway.
It all had a bitter-sweet feeling. Knowing I am standing there, on the podium, after giving it all, proudly shedding tears and sweat for my country, but knowing we deserved more from that game. That silver medal bears a lot of emotions. A sense of pride, joy, recognition, an inspiration, but also motivation. I was itching to set the record straight, as soon as possible.
The opportunity came only a few months later, at the EHF EURO 2012 in Belgrade.
We came into the tournament without some of our best players. Bojana Popovic and Maja Savic retired after the Olympics, but I felt we were ready to take the game to them; playing against Norway for the second time in less than four months in front of thousands of fans. It felt like another half of that Olympic final.
We continued straight from where we left off in that match, as if nothing happened in between. I felt there was some mysterious force behind us, pushing us to the win. Later I realised, it was our spirit and togetherness. We felt each other’s pain and joy, we shared everything together, and did it together – all for one, and one for all. The moment I heard the final whistle and felt the first gold medal for Montenegro on my chest, I felt so many emotions. The wounds from the lost Olympic were healed.
The glorious end of 2012/13 season, crowned with Women’s EHF Champions League trophy, saw one of my greatest dreams come true. My mission at Györ was complete.
