Croatian Olympic Committee Presents 7th Annual ‘Milan Neralić’ Award Honouring Outstanding Contributions to Local Sport in Knin

The laureates of the seventh edition of the award, which is given for lifetime achievement, include four distinguished individuals and one sports association: former volleyball player, now sports official and member of the Croatian Olympic Committee Council, Snježana Jurinić (nominated by the Sports Association of the City of Zadar); professor of physical and health education Ankica Mustapić (former employee of the Croatian School Sports Federation, nominated by the Croatian Olympic Committee); former handball player and referee, now prominent sports official Veljko Karabaić (nominated by the Sports Association of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County); versatile official, sponsor, and initiator of sports infrastructure projects Željko Maletić (nominated by the Sports Association of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County); and the Sports Association of the Istria County, represented at the ceremony by its president Mladen Pavićević.

Following the performance of the national anthem by the Klapa Sebeniko ensemble, the ceremony at the Knin Museum Gallery was opened with welcoming speeches by Marko Jelić, Prefect of the Šibenik-Knin County; Marijo Ćaćić, Mayor of Knin; and Siniša Krajač, Secretary General of the Croatian Olympic Committee. Also in attendance were Hrvoje Balen, Director of the Croatian Olympic Committee Office for Local Sports Programs; Josip Bebek, President of the Knin City Sports Association; and Brigadier Mirko Stošić, Commander of the Mechanized Guard Brigade.

The Milan Neralić Award was established by the Croatian Olympic Committee in 2019 on the initiative of the current Secretary General, Siniša Krajač. In addition to a written charter, the award includes a sculpture inspired by Neralić’s life and work as the first Croatian athlete to compete at the Olympic Games and win an Olympic medal (bronze in fencing at the 1900 Paris Games). The sculpture was created in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of Zagreb, based on the winning design of student Matija Gajić Puškarić. The sculpture represents the act of offering a sword, with a gentle bow symbolizing respect. The flame of the Olympic symbol on the chest represents Neralić’s passion and love for sport. Positioned near the heart and above a cushion with the laid sword, it gives the impression of transferring that passion and love for sport to the award recipient. The statue of Neralić erected in Slunj in 2022 was entirely modeled after the sculpture of the same name used for this Croatian Olympic Committee award.

The Croatian Olympic Committee extends its gratitude to the Knin City Sports Association and the City of Knin for hosting the 7th edition of the Milan Neralić Award ceremony.

ABOUT MILAN NERALIĆ

Milan Neralić was born on February 26, 1875, in Slunj, where he completed his primary education. He was first introduced to fencing during his military service in Karlovac, and in 1885, he was sent to Wiener Neustadt in Austria to attend the Military Institute for Fencing and Physical Training Instructors. In 1908, he moved to Berlin, where he worked until 1914 as a coach in both civilian and military clubs. Representing Austria at the 2nd modern Olympic Games in Paris in 1900, Neralić competed in the sabre event among professional instructors, achieving four victories out of seven bouts and earning a historic bronze medal. In 1912, he organized a fencing academy in Slunj, where he performed alongside his wife Wilhelmina—a major sensation at the time. His every return to his homeland was announced and followed with great attention. He passed away on February 17, 1918, in Vienna and was buried at the central city cemetery in the 11th district of Vienna.