Croatian Athletes Officially Sent Off to the Paris Olympic Games

The send-off was attended by numerous athletes, sports dignitaries, journalists, representatives of the national leadership, and public figures from Zagreb and Croatia. The event was opened by the Secretary-General of the Croatian Olympic Committee, Siniša Krajač.

"As we conclude another Olympic cycle, which we successfully navigated thanks to the sensitivity of the Croatian government towards sports, we face no major difficulties, with sufficient competitions and preparation periods. I believe we will return with many outstanding results and an enviable number of medals," said Krajač.

Damir Šegota, Director of the Office for the Olympic Program and Head of the Croatian Olympic Committee's Mission in Paris, shared the latest impressions from Paris with the Olympians.

"I returned from the Olympic venue a few days ago and everything is excellent. Our mission, transportation, food... everything is functioning perfectly. I remind you that the situation is quite complex, and I would like you to spend as much time as possible in our well-equipped rooms for rest between competitions. I am confident we will achieve excellent results at the Olympic Games," concluded Šegota.

Parliament member and representative of the President of the Croatian Parliament, Mislav Herman, reminded the Olympians that qualifying for the Olympic Games is the dream of every athlete in the world.

"Today, I can only congratulate you on that and wish you the little bit of luck that makes the difference between a medal and a fourth-place finish at major competitions. These will be Games of many firsts, with gender parity among athletes for the first time, CO2-neutral Games, and many new sports. I wish you much success," said Herman.

Minister of Defense and representative of the Prime Minister of Croatia, Ivan Anušić, emphasized the significant diplomatic contribution of athletes during the formation of the Croatian state.

"Athletes were our best diplomats, and now they are a brand of the Croatian state. Wherever we go in the world and mention Croatia, someone names one of our athletes. It's not easy to be a top athlete, but you are. Even qualifying for the Olympic Games is a great success, and you should always keep that in mind," said Anušić.

Marathon runner Matea Parlov Koštro, who achieved a sensational 21st place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, shared her hopes for Paris.

"I will be satisfied with any result better than in Tokyo. It will be very tough among the 90 marathon runners, including many Africans, to get close to the medals, but I will give my all. The course in Paris is hilly, so we adapted our final preparations accordingly and trained at an altitude of 1850 meters. I think I am ready," said the optimistic marathon runner.

Handball team captain Domagoj Duvnjak, who first competed in the Games in Beijing 2008, understands the high expectations for the handball team.

"We have a good team, we trained well, everyone is healthy, and we can't wait to get to Paris and play our first match against Japan, which is very important. Our coach was Japan's coach for seven years, so we know everything about them. We have a tough group, but I think we can reach the quarterfinals, and then anything can happen. We can be eliminated or make it to the semifinals, but I believe we are going for a medal," said Duvnjak, echoing the hopes of everyone in Croatia.

Water polo player Maro Joković noted similar expectations for the water polo team, which travels to Paris as a major favorite after winning silver at the European Championships and gold at the World Championships.

"There is great excitement and high expectations. The preparations were short but intense, and we are ready for everything. The first match often determines the course of the competition, and our first game is against Montenegro. We don't have a good record against them, but we are hoping for the best," said Joković.

Skier Zrinka Ljutić wished much success to the athletes traveling to Paris on behalf of the Winter Olympians, and Matea Parlov Koštro, the ambassador of the Croatian Olympic Committee's campaign for the Paris Olympics, read the Fair Play Declaration signed by all Croatian Olympians, technical staff, and leadership.

In addition to those mentioned, the send-off was attended by State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Josip Pavić, Deputy Mayor of Zagreb Luka Korlaet, officials from the Croatian Olympic Committee, heads of national sports federations, and many others.

On Tuesday morning, two of Croatia's great hopes - boxer Gabrijel Veočić and cyclist (BMX) Marin Ranteš - left for Paris. The group of athletes led by handball players and water polo players, the largest part of the Croatian delegation, will depart on the morning of July 24. They will be at Franjo Tuđman Airport from 7 AM, making them available once more to the media, especially Sports Television, which does not miss any send-off.