Seven Croatian Swimmers Head to European Para Swimming Championships in Turkey

Seven Croatian swimmers will defend the country’s colors in Kocaeli, Turkey, at the eighth European Para Swimming Championships. The competition runs from Sept. 7 to 12 and will bring together about 400 swimmers from 38 countries.

The Croatian team consists of Emma Mečić, Paula Novina, Marija Badrov, Nikolina Mitar, Dino Sinovčić, Karlo Knežević and Matthew Čabraja. National team coach Mirko Samardžić said the season had been especially demanding because the European championships extended the competitive year and left athletes little time for rest and recovery. Despite that, he said, the swimmers completed their planned preparation cycle.

Mitar and Sinovčić trained in Split. Mečić completed the final stage of her preparation in Fuerteventura, while Novina, Knežević, Badrov and Čabraja finished their preparations in Ljubljana. Samardžić praised the athletes’ commitment and professionalism, along with the work of their coaches, who adapted training to each swimmer’s needs.

“

This season was particularly demanding because, with the European Championships taking place in September, the competitive year stretched considerably longer than usual. The athletes had very little room for proper rest and recovery. Despite that, everyone successfully completed the planned preparation cycle.

Sinovčić is the most decorated member of the Croatian delegation. He has four European championship medals, including gold in Dublin in 2018, silver medals in Madeira in 2021 and 2024, and bronze in Reykjavik in 2009. He also won silver at last year’s world championships in Singapore, following world championship golds in London in 2019 and Funchal in 2022, plus silver in Manchester in 2023. His record includes Paralympic bronze medals from Paris in 2024 and Tokyo in 2021.

Sinovčić, who will compete in the S6 100-meter backstroke, said health problems had prevented him from training until mid-May. He said his health was now fine and that, for the first time since 2018, he was traveling without particular expectations or pressure. Mečić won gold in the 400-meter freestyle and bronze in the S9 100-meter backstroke at the last European championships, while Novina won bronze in the S8 50-meter freestyle. Events will take place at the Gebze Olympic Pool.

“

Given that I had health problems, specifically with my heart, I was banned from training until mid-May. My health is fine now. For the first time since 2018, I do not have particular expectations or hopes. I am traveling to Turkey without pressure.