President Milanović Receives Association for Organizing Diving Competitions Delegation and Croatian Medal Winners

The President of the Republike Zoran Milanović received a delegation of the Association for Organizing Freediving Competitions “AIDA Croatia” on the occasion of the first Croatian Depth gold medal won at the AIDA World Championship and the World Underwater Federation (CMAS) gold medal in the freediving for depth and pool championship held on Cyprus.

In presenting their Association, “AIDA Croatia” representatives noted that they have been active since 2001 under the umbrella of the world association of AIDA International. Their activities include: organization of competitions, verification of national records, education of freedivers, development of freediving in Croatia, and systematic promotion of the Adriatic. Thanks to their members’ longstanding sports achievements, the Republic of Croatia has been ranked world top in this sport and Croatia’s AIDA representation was the largest and most successful in its history. Croatian free diver and Association president Vitomir Maričić won a gold medal at the World Championship on Cyprus in the Constant No-Fins category, two bronze medals in the Monofins and Bi-Fins categories. Moreover, he is the current world champion in pool freediving and the current absolute world record champion.

Regarding the achievements of other Association members, it should note the current free immersion world champion and world record holder in the Constant No-Fins category Petar Klovar, who has become the Croat with the deepest descent of 119 meters, and AIDA Croatia’s vice-president Lidija Lijić Vulić, who is five-time world champion, multiple world and European champion and vice-champion, and national record holder in freediving.

AIDA Croatia representatives have informed President Milanović that they are the founders of the Sea Shepherd Croatia office, a branch of the world environmental organization dealing with the protection of ocean and marine wildlife. The Adriatic has not been bypassed by the global trend of endangerment of the seas and oceans, therefore it is necessary to act in order to protect the Adriatic on all levels, namely education in schools, resolution of existing problems and implementation of solutions that have proved successful in other countries. It was added that the divers are constant witnesses of the changes in the sea.

Attending the meeting with President Milanović in addtion to the president of AIDA Croatia Association and most successful Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić, Assocation vice-president and member of the Croatian diving representation since 2013 Lidija Lijić Vulić, and current free immersion world champion and world record holder in the Constant No-Fins category Petar Klovar, were cardiologist and team physician of the freediving representation Viktor Ivaniš, secretary and Management Board member Mateja Radulović, resident in Sports and Occupational Medicine and one of the permanent Association volunteers Petra Maričić, member of the Croatian AIDA representation Tatjana Škobo and director of “Thalassotherapia Opatija” Prof. Viktor Peršić, PhD.

Alongside President Milanović was his Commissioner for Sports Željko Jovanović.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek