Three categories of horse racing closed the 146th Nevesinje Olympics in Bratački Lug near Nevesinje. This is the oldest and unique event in the region.

The disciplines of throwing a stone from the shoulder, fighting on a log, mas-wrestling, tug of war were held in the afternoon.

The animals owned by Branko Ostojić from Žabljak won in two categories of horse racing, while that of Marko Teletina from Nevesinje was the fastest in the third category.

– This is an event that protects and renews our tradition, and as such, it has been nominated for UNESCO protection as cultural heritage. Also in a sporting sense. This is the only place on the globe that welcomes amateurs and professionals, people living in Nevesinje villages and in the city, those training in leading clubs in Srpska, BiH and the region, to compete in the same arena, to win the same awards – said Milenko Avdalović, the head of the municipality of Nevesinje.

The Nevesinje Olympics increasingly brings together writers, artists, sculptors, visual artists, traditional singing groups, etc.

– The fact that the Government of Serbia and Government of the Republic of Srpska at their joint session included the Nevesinje Rifle among the dates to be marked by Serbia and Srpska together in the future, says enough about the Nevesinje Olympics and the region we are in today – said Milimir Vujadinović, the Chairman of the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Committee of the National Assembly of Serbia.

He noted that this fact alone spoke of the extent of fame of this area, as well as of the Nevesinje Olympics as its integral part.

The total prize fund for forty-eight competitive disciplines of the Olympics amounted to thirty-five thousand marks. The patron was the Government of the Republic of Srpska, and the organizer was the Municipality of Nevesinje.

Source and photo: RTRS