Sports legends of Novi Sad

Love for sports, hard work and dedication have spawned successful athletes who have gained world fame, winning medals at the most prestigious sports competitions. In their honour, the House of Sports Legends of Novi Sad was founded at SPENS. In this area, 139 posters of medallists at the Olympic Games, world and European championships, as well as the most successful coaches and national team managers, sports doctors, workers and journalists, who have made an exceptional contribution to the development and affirmation of Novi Sad sports, are on display. Here is a list of some of them.

Well-known Novi Sad athletes

Track and field:

Ivana Španović (long jump – bronze, 2016 Olympic Games; gold, 2017 European Championships; gold, 2018 World Championships), Mihail Dudaš (heptathlon – bronze, 2013 European Championships; decathlon – bronze, 2016 European Championships), Gizela Farkaš (relay – silver medal European Championships 1962), Olga Gere Pulić (high jump – silver medal European Championships 1962 and 1966)

Boxers and kickboxers:

Slobodan Kačar (boxing – gold medal Olympic Games 1980, professional world champion 1985), Tadija Kačar (boxing – silver medal Olympic Games 1976, silver medal World Championships 1978), Nenad Pagonis (kickboxing – gold medal World Championships 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015), Peter Benedek (boxing – silver medal European Championships 1961), Dušan Dačić (karate – silver medal World Championships 1980, coach and selector), Miodrag Jotić (kickboxing – gold medal World Championships 1991)

Water polo:

Duško Pijetlović (2016 and 2021 Olympic gold medal), Gojko Pijetlović (2016 and 2021 Olympic gold medal), Branislav Mitrović (2016 and 2021 Olympic gold medal), Miloš Ćuk (2016 Olympic gold medal), Slobodan Soro (2008 and 2012 Olympic bronze medal), Nikola Radjen (2008 and 2012 Olympic bronze medal)

Rowing:

Zoran Pančić (1976 Olympic bronze medal, 1980 Olympic silver medal), Iva Obradović (2011 and 2012 European Championships silver medal), Ivana Filipović (silver medal European Championships 2011)

Kayaking:

Bora Sibinkić (gold – 2006 World Championship, silver – 2007 World Championship), Milica Starović (silver – 2015 and 2017 World Championship), Antonija Nađ (silver medal European Championships 2011), Vladimir Torubarov (silver medal World Championships 2018, bronze medal World Championships 2014)

Basketball:

Dušan Domović Bulut (basketball 3×3 – bronze medal Olympic Games 2021, gold medal World Championships 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2018), Jasmina Perazić (bronze medal Olympic Games 1980), Sara Krnjić (bronze medal Olympic Games 2016), Marija Veger Demšar (silver medal European Championships 1968 and 1978, bronze medal European Championships 1970), Ankica Bašić (bronze medal European Championships 1970), Stanka Stošić (silver medal European Championships 1968, bronze medal European Championships 1970), Ana Tot (bronze medal European Championships 1970), Iren Gal (bronze medal European Championships 1970)

Volleyball:

Andrija Gerić (2000 Olympic gold medal, silver medal World Championships 1998), Slobodan Boškan (2000 Olympic gold medal, silver medal World Championships 1998), Veljko Petković (2000 Olympic gold medal, silver medal World Championships 1998), Vasa Mijić (2000 Olympic gold medal), Vladimir Batez (2000 Olympic gold medal), Đula Mešter (2000 Olympic gold medal), Vladimir Grbić (2000 Olympic gold medal), Nikola Grbić (2000 Olympic gold medal), Slobodan Kovač (2000 Olympic gold medal), Borislav Petrović (bronze medal World Championships 2010), Goran Marić (gold medal European Championships 2001), Žarko Petrović (bronze medal Olympic Games 1996), Dragan Nišić (bronze medal European Championships 1979), Đorđe Đurić (bronze medal Olympic Games 1996), Marko Podraščanin (bronze medal European Championships 2007)

Archery:

Aleksandra Ivošev (1996 Olympic gold and bronze medal), Aranka Binder (1992 Olympic bronze medal), Desanka Perović Pešut (two-time world record holder, 1969 and 1970 World Championships gold medal), Nemanja Mirosavljev (gold medal European Championships 1991 and 2009), Valerija Sabatka (silver medal World Championships 1974), Olivera Smiljanić (silver medal World Championships 1983), Dušan Epifanić (bronze medal World Championships 1970)

Table Tennis:

Gordana Perkučin (1988 Olympic bronze medal, 1979 and 1989 World Championships silver medal), Jasna Fazlić (1988 Olympic bronze medal), Slobodan Grujić (bronze medal European Championships 1989, 1990, and 1992)

Tennis:

Momčilo Tapavica (first athlete from Novi Sad at the 1986 Olympic Games, bronze medal), Monika Seleš (bronze, 2000 Olympic Games)

Football:

Vujadin Boškov (1952 Olympic silver medal), Silvester Takač (1960 Olympic gold medal), Siniša Mihajlović (member of the 1989 FC Vojvodina championship-winning team, national team manager), Novak Roganović (gold medal Olympic Games 1960), Aleksandar Kozlina (gold medal Olympic Games 1960), Zdravko Rajkov (silver medal Olympic Games 1952), Todor Veselinović (silver medal Olympic Games 1956), Ilija Pantelić (silver medal European Championships 1968), Dobroslav Krstić (silver medal Olympic Games 1956), Dobrivoje Trivić (silver medal European Championships 1968)

Handball:

Arpad Šterbik (bronze medal 1999 and 2001 European Championship), Tatjana Popov Medved (bronze medal 2001 European Championship)

Judo:

Slavko Obadov (1976 Olympic bronze medal), Tatjana Trivić (bronze medal 2006 European Championship, silver medal 2009 World Championships), Pavle Bajčetić (silver medal World Championships 1974, bronze medal European Championship 1975), Slavko Sikirić (bronze medal European Championship 1986), Momir Lučić (silver medal World Championships 1974, bronze medal European Championship 1975 and 1976), Jovan Pejčić (bronze medal European Championship 1986), Marica Arsenović (bronze medal European Championship 1984)

Wrestling:
Aleksandar Jovančević (bronze medal European Championship 1997)

Chess:
Milunka Lazarević (silver medal Olympic Games 1963), Petar Popović (silver medal World Championships 1979), Kraskoje Notaroš (Novi Sad Chess Club)

Paralympians:

Miroslav Jančić (gold medal in athletics, 1984 Paralympic Games, gold medal in golf, 1988 Paralympic Games), Zlatko Kesler (table tennis – gold medal 1996 Paralympic Games), Ilija Đurašinović (table tennis – bronze medal 1984 Paralympic Games), Mitar Palikuća (table tennis – bronze medal 2016 Paralympic Games), Borislava Perić Ranković (table tennis – gold medal 2016 Paralympic Games, silver medal 2024 Paralympic Games), Nada Matić (table tennis – bronze medal 2016 Paralympic Games, silver medal 2024 Paralympic Games)

References
Antonić, D., & Krneta, S. (2023). Kuća sportskih legendi Novog Sada [The Home of Novi Sad Sports Legends] (Asocijacija sportskih legendi i veterana Novog Sada). Novi Sad.