SERBIAN KAYAKERS DOMINATED IN MONTREAL: Zarko and Marko won the gold medal at the World Cup!

Serbian national team members Žarko Jakovljević and Marko Dragosavljević won the gold medal in the K2 500 m discipline on the final day of the World Cup in Montreal.

They reached the brightest medal after dominant performances throughout the entire competition, as they triumphed in the A final after successfully paddled qualifications and a victory in the semifinal.

The Serbian double reached the victory with a time of 1:26.67, ahead of Slovak national team members Samuel Balaž and Adam Botek (1:27.04), while the bronze medal went to Norwegians Lukas Roesten and Gunnar Eide (1:27.48).

Jakovljević and Dragosavljević showed exceptional form throughout the entire competition. After excellent performances in the qualifications and a convincing victory in the semifinal, they crowned a great series by winning the gold medal in the competition of the world’s best crews.

Special value is given to this result by the fact that for Žarko Jakovljević, this is his first medal in senior competition at the World Cup, while his partner Marko Dragosavljević, one of the most experienced Serbian national team members, once again confirmed top quality and experience on the biggest international stage. The combination of youth and experience proved to be a winning combination for the Serbian double.

The success gains in importance also due to the fact that Jakovljević and Dragosavljević paddled only their sixth official international race together. This double, as well as the men’s four at 500 meters, was formed immediately before the European Championship in Portugal. In less than a month of joint work, the new Serbian crew went from formation to the winning podium at the World Cup, which represents an exceptional indicator of its potential in the continuation of the Olympic cycle.

A notable performance was also achieved by Branko Lagundžić, who took seventh place in the A final of the K1 500 m discipline with a time of 1:39.64. Placing among the nine best represents a confirmation of the excellent form of the Serbian national team member, who was previously the fastest in the qualifications and successfully secured a place in the final.

The Serbian national team member once again confirmed the continuity of top results, since this season he is also a regular participant in the A final of the K1 500 m discipline at the World Cups and the European Championship. Placing among the best nine in Montreal represents a continuation of a series of notable performances in the strongest world competition.

The young Serbian double Veljko Vještica and Strahinja Dragosavljević performed in the C final of the K2 500 m discipline and took eighth place with a time of 1:36.29, thus finishing the World Cup in 26th place in the overall standings. For the two nineteen-year-old national team members, the performance in Montreal represents valuable experience gained in competition with the world’s best crews.

The World Cup in Montreal once again confirmed that Serbia belongs to the very top of world sprint kayak. With two gold medals, a fifth place for the men’s four, and a seventh place for Branko Lagundžić in the K1 500 m discipline, our national team took seventh place on the medal standings, leaving behind numerous traditionally strong kayaking powerhouses. The achieved results represent an excellent incentive and confirmation that the national team of Serbia continues the Olympic cycle towards the Los Angeles 2028 Games with great optimism.

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