17th European sports-recreational games
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Over 4,500 athletes competed in as many as 21 disciplines during the 17th European Sports and Recreation Games
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Over 4,500 athletes competed in as many as 21 disciplines during the 17th European Sports and Recreation Games. In Rovinj Town itself, competitions in 18 sports were held either fully or partially, while the rest of the programme was taking place in neighbouring Rovinjsko Selo, Bale, Vrsar, Pazin, Pula, Brijuni and Trieste. The competitors tried their skills, deftness and knowledge in athletics, badminton, Italian bowling, golf, basketball, bowling, mini golf, football, foot tennis, marksmanship, volleyball, outdoor volleyball, orientation walking, darts, swimming, handball, table tennis, squash, chess, tennis and bridge. The colours of Croatia, which, along with Germany and France, was among the most numerous participant countries, were also worn by 170 townsfolk, competitors from Rovinj.
And that men and women from Rovinj are good athletes too was shown by their success. The volleyball team were most successful in group events. The team dubbed “Outcasts,” in the category of teams over 40, won the finals over “Youth” from Zagreb, and thus became champions. Their juniors younger than 40 won bronze. Handball veterans, in the category of up to 40, lost to the factory team of “Peugeot-Citroen,” during a dramatic finals match, while seniors finally came fourth. As for basketball, the veterans from Rovinj older than 40, won silver, while the female running team – composed of Mirjana Kmačić - Pellizzer, Barbara Matošović- Talajić and Helena Šumaher, garnered bronze medals.
As expected, a heap of medals were gained in swimming. The veteran of Longino Sošić won as many as four disciplines among swimmers older than 60, while Željan Hrvatin came first among those swimmers between 41 and 50, in the discipline of 50 metres butterfly and 50 metres breast-stroke. Gianni Rocco triumphed in the same disciplines among swimmers from 51 to 60, while Tomica Srečec was the best in 50 and 100 metres freestyle, among swimmers from 51 to 60. Among females, Armida Jelinić proved to be a true sea lion, winning over her competition in 200 metres freestyle in the category of women from 41 to 50. It should be pointed out that the ex-national team member, Ivica Vrkić, won the fourth position individually in airgun shooting.
