These were the dominant values and themes during the first reunion after 35 years of the members of the national team in athletics of the former Yugoslavia.
When guns speak, sports often remain one of the few bridges that bring people together, and the unbreakable bonds between athletes remain intact and last a lifetime. The reunion confirmed that sincere sports friendships transcend political borders and conflicts.
Over 120 former athletes from various parts of the former Yugoslavia (North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia) met in Belgrade on June 8, 2026.
Most notable participants were Snezana Pajkić and Dragutin Topić, both 1990 European Champions, and Brigita Bukovec, Silver Medalist from the 1996 Olympic Games. Among the attendees, most senior former national team members competed in the 1960s, and the youngest ones competed in 1991, the year that former Yugoslavia ceased to exist. A total of 30 Yugoslav record holders, who set 80 Yugoslav records, were present at the reunion.
This event showed a high level of human respect and inclusivity, as not only the former athletes attended, but also officials, journalists, coaches, and physicians active during that time.
The idea to organize such a gathering was born two years ago after the promotion of Tamara Malešev's book "Rings of Berlin 1936", which gathered former athletes from all over the one-time Yugoslavia.
With gratitude to the two-time Olympian Milan Spasojević in the triple jump, and the owner of the Jump Inn Hotel, where the event took place, the dream came true.
The event was very emotional for all participants; former rivals reflected on their times spent together at training camps and competitions, including the Olympics, where many of them competed at. Laughter flowed, smiles were swapped, addresses, photos, phone numbers were exchanged, and promises were made to meet again every year.
It was the best example of how sports can unite people, regardless of national borders, and recognize each other as human beings, not political enemies, which is why those bonds are not broken even in the most difficult times.
Unfortunately, Vera Nikolić, Nenad Stekić, and Luciano Sušanj, venerated European and world-class athletes in the past, who died recently, were not among the attendees.
This remarkable reunion perfectly embodies the values of Race for Respect and reflects European Athletics’ slogan Your Sport for Life, demonstrating that athletics is far more than competition—it creates friendships, mutual respect and human connections that endure for decades.
Thirty-five years after competing together, these athletes proved that the bonds forged through sport can transcend borders, generations and even the most challenging periods of history, lasting long after the final finish line.
Photo courtesy of A: Participates Group Photo