Team Croatia Takes Home Record 7 Medals from Tokyo Paralympics

By extinguishing the Paralympic flame at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, the 16th Summer Paralympic Games officially ended, with a record 4,537 athletes from 162 countries, including 22 Croatian Paralympians.

Croatian athletes competed in a record eight sports, winning a record seven medals – three silver and four bronze. So far, Croatian Paralympians had won the most medals in London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016), five each.

They were certainly the most special Paralympic Games in history. With a year of delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, they were held in incredible conditions, without spectators, and with strict epidemiological protocols, with intense testing of all participants in a city in a state of emergency due to a record number of coronavirus infections.

However, after the Olympic Games were successfully held, the Paralympic Games passed without major problems. Nevertheless, the “bubble,” with minor exceptions, endured. Organizers said there had been just over 350 positive tests on about 1 million tests since July 1.

Thus, Tokyo went down in history as the first city to hold two summer Olympics and POIs (1964, 2020).

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons noted that “the Tokyo Games have exceeded all expectations.”

“It was fantastic, we provided the athletes with a safe environment, and at the same time, we protected the Japanese population,” said Parsons, who experienced his first summer Paralympic Games since he took over the IPC in 2017.

In sports, these Games also offered countless incredible stories, emotions, joys, but also sadness. They have been a driver of change to break down social barriers to discrimination for people with disabilities.

“They provided so many emotions; that is the power of sports. There is no better tool for rehabilitation than sports, is the common thought of Paralympians.”

The concept of the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 was the “Harmonious Cacophony.”

A world inspired by the Paralympic Games, a world where differences shine. In this world, different bodies, unique technologies, and different materials come together as a harmonious and colorful whole, not as one mixed color. What at first glance seems like the beginning of a cacophony is actually the birth of a new harmony. Because differences do not create conflict but give birth to a new future is the final thought of the closing ceremony.

At the closing ceremony, the Croatian flag was carried by para-taekwondo fighter Ivan Mikulić, who won silver on the last day of the competition.

“Our journey is coming to an end,” said the president of the Organizing Committee, Seiko Hashimoto, telling the Paralympians that they have inspired many of us.

Team Croatia won seven medals in Tokyo, bringing Croatia to 26 medals in the history of the Summer Paralympic Games.

The first medal in Tokyo was won by Velimir Šandor, who won silver in the discus throw in the F52 category. Then Anđela Mužinić and Helena Dretar Karić won bronze in the table tennis team competition.

The series was continued by Ivan Katanušić, who won the silver in the discus throw in the F64 category, followed by bronze medals by Dino Sinovčić in the 100-meter backstroke and Mikela Ristoski in the long jump.

At the end of the Games, Ivan Mikulić won silver in taekwondo, while Deni Černi won bronze in shot put. 

The first medal for Croatia in the history of the Paralympic Games was won by Milka Milinković in the javelin throw in 1992 in Barcelona. Four bronze medals followed in Athens in 2004 – three for swimmer Mihovil Španja and one for Jelena Vuković in the discus throw.

In Beijing in 2008, Croatia won four medals – three gold and one silver. The first places were won by Antonia Balek in the javelin and shot put and Darko Kralj in the shot put, while Branimir Budetić won silver in the javelin throw.

In London 2012, Darko Kralj won silver in the shot put, Zoran Talić was second in the long jump, Mihovil Španja swam for bronze, Mikela Ristoski jumped to bronze, and Budetić was third in the javelin throw.

At the last Games before Tokyo, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Mikela Ristoski was gold in the long jump and Sandra Paović in table tennis. Anđela Mužinić and Helena Dretar Karić won silver in the table tennis team competition, as well as Zoran Talić in the long jump, while Velimir Šandor was third in the discus throw.

Source: HRT

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