A team of six massage professionals representing four Balkan and European countries has earned multiple awards at an international massage competition in Lecce, Italy. Among the standout performers was Macedonia’s Kate Stevkovska, who secured first place in the Wellness & Spa category and second place in Body Shape.
The team brought together participants from Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Italy, demonstrating how professional talent and cooperation can cross national borders.
Macedonian Competitor Takes First Place
Kate Stevkovska delivered one of the team’s strongest performances, winning first place in Wellness & Spa and finishing second in Body Shape.
Montenegro’s Milan Šimrak also achieved impressive results, taking first place in sports massage, second place in Freestyle and receiving the Best Clinical Reasoning award.
Serbian competitors Milica Đorđević and Dejan Đorđević both earned bronze medals. Milica placed third in Wellness & Spa and received a special award for Best Artistic Massage, while Dejan finished third in the beginners’ category.
The competition brought together massage professionals who demonstrated their techniques and skills across several specialized categories.
A Team United Across Four Countries
The six-member team was organized by Marija Đorđević Marković, originally from Lebane, Serbia, who now lives and works in Italy. She also served as one of the competition’s judges.
Other team members included Marija Nikolić from Novi Sad and Ester Marin from Italy. Serbian judge Julijana Glišić also participated in the event.
Beyond the medals, the team’s participation highlighted cooperation among professionals with different national backgrounds.
For Stevkovska, the competition brought international recognition through two podium finishes. For the wider team, it was an opportunity to represent their professional communities while building connections across the Balkans.
The results offer another example of Macedonian and Balkan professionals achieving recognition at international competitions.
