ĆELIĆ BRINGS TO BANJA LUKA BRONZE FROM BALKAN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN GREECE

BANJA LUKA, JUNE 30 /SRNA/ – Young and talented Banja Luka table tennis player Đorđe Ćelić /14/, the cadet champion of BiH, won a bronze medal in the mixed doubles category at the recently held Balkan Championships in Orestiada, Greece.

Ćelić, representing BiH, was the only representative from Republika Srpska in the male category, and won the medal partnering with Nađa Đulović. "I am always satisfied when I participate and achieve good results at major competitions like this. In singles, I was among the top 16 players in the Balkans, and in doubles and team events, we played for a place in the semifinals, fighting for medals. In any case, this is a great honor for me, for Banja Luka, and for Srpska, which I carry in my heart," Ćelić told SRNA. He added that he is now preparing for the upcoming European Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where he also expects strong competition and good results. "Before that, I should join the Serbian national team for training if we manage to arrange it," said Ćelić, who has been a member of the Spin Banja Luka Table Tennis Club for more than six years. According to his coach Dragan Vučić, this young student and athlete is characterized by dedication, discipline, courage, work ethic, and a winning mentality, which is why he deserves stronger support in terms of preparation and participation in as many major tournaments as possible. "What Đorđe achieved in Greece is a historic result for the Balkan Championships and the first such medal for our club. It shows that in table tennis we can compete with countries whose federations receive much more financial support," Vučić stated. He assessed that after winning this medal, new success can be expected from Đorđe at the European Championships in the Czech Republic. Spin Table Tennis Club has over 200 active members, among whom, besides Ćelić, there are many other successful and talented young athletes and national team players who deserve more serious support in pursuing this Olympic sport.