President Milanović Receives Medal Winners from the World Para Athletics Championships and the World Para Swimming Championships
The President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović received today in the Office of the President a delegation of the Croatian Paralympic Committee and Croatian athletes and their coaches who achieved exceptional success this year at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore and the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi. President Milanović congratulated the athletes and their coaches on their achievements and their contribution to the promotion of Croatian sports.
Croatian athletes won four medals at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi and two at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore thus confirming the continuity of excellent results on the global level. Deni Černi in the Men’s Shot Put (F33) and Ivan Katanušić in the Men’s Discus Throw (F64) won gold medals at the World Para Athletics Championships, while Luka Baković in the Men’s Shot Put (F46) and Velimir Šandor in the Men’s Discus Throw (F52) won bronze medals. At the World Para Swimming Championships, Croatian representatives won two silver medals: Emma Mečić in the 400 m freestyle (S9) and Dino Sinovčić in the 100 m backstroke (S6).
As for Emma Mečić, this is her second world silver medal in the same event, after she achieved the same success in Manchester in 2023. Dino Sinovčić won a medal at the fourth world championship in a row, thus confirming his status as one of the most trophy winning Croatian para swimmers. With his accomplishment in New Delhi, Velimir Šandor won his fourth medal at world championships, following on from the silver in Kobe in 2024, the bronze in London in 2017 and Doha in 2015. With two Paralympic medals and medals from European championships, Šandor is one of the most successful Croatian throwers. With a bronze medal in India, Luka Baković repeated his result from the World Championships in Kobe in 2024 and the Paralympic Games in Paris the same year. Ivan Katanušić, current world champion in discus throw, is also a multiple medalist from Paralympic and European competitions, while Deni Černi won his second medal at the world championships in New Delhi, after the bronze from Paris in 2023.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Croatian Paralympic Committee, the Croatian Para Athletics Federation and the Croatian Para Swimming Federation, who informed the President about preparations for upcoming competitions, including the first Winter Paralympic Games in Italy.
At the Office of the President of the Republic were the president and vice-president of the Croatian Paralympic Committee, Ratko Kovačić and Ana Sršen respectively, member of the Executive Committee of the Croatian Paralympic Committee and president of the Croatian Para Swimming Federation, Roberto Zidar; the secretary-general of the Croatian Paralympic Committee, Ticijan Komparić, the secretary-general of the Croatian Para Athletics Federation, Goran Žeželj; the secretary-general of the Croatian Para Swimming Federation, Miro Renić, the manager of the Croatian Paralympic Committee, Damjan Sedić; the manager of the Croatian Para Swimming Federation, Mirko Samardžić; para athletes and gold medals winners at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi 2025 Deni Černi and Ivan Katanušić; Emma Mečić, para swimmer and silver medal winner at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore 2025; para swimmer and silver medal winner at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore 2025, Dino Sinovčić; para athletes and bronze medal winners at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi 2025: Luka Baković and Velimir Šandor; coaches Boris Kljaić, Roland Varga, Slobodan Glavčić, Luca Marin, Marko Mastelić, Ivan Čengić, and assistant to the secretary-general and chief of protocol of the Croatian Paralympic Committee, Zoran Pamić.
Alongside President Milanović was the Commissioner to the President for Sports Tomislav Paškvalin.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan