Photo: FaH and Croatian Bocce FederationZagreb, 31 October 2022 - The sports weekend abounded in numerous other successes of Croatian female and male athletes in the international competition. At the recently completed World Bocce Championship for juniors (U-18) and junior seniors (U-23), held in Montbrison, France, The Croatian national team won three gold medals, and in total - as many as seven medals.
Gold medals were won by: Žarko Jerčinović (BK Sv. Jakov Jadranovo) in the discipline of precision U-18 throw and in the competition of younger seniors (U-23) - Duje Pirić (BK Naklice) in the discipline of precision throw and Karlo Šaban (BK Sv. Jakov Jadranovo) and Luka Gašpar (BK Zrinjevac) in pairs. The silver medal was won in the discipline of fast throw Luka Gaspar (U-23).
Filip Klarić and Lovro Šipek (both players of BK Sv. Jakov Jadranovo), Žarko Jerčinović and Ivan Načinović (BK Vargon) won the bronze medal in doubles classical (U-18) in doubles, and Lovro Šipek won the medal of the same brilliance in the discipline of individual classical U-18 competition.
Selectors Čedo Vukelić (U-18) and Dražen Puniš (U-23) are extremely satisfied with the overall performance of their bocce players in France. The national team was led by its director Vjekoslav Matetić.
A few good news came from tennis. Our 16-year-old tennis player Petra Marčinko won her biggest senior title in France's Poitiers, defeating 28-year-old Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure (WTA - 105th) 6-3, 7-6 (2) in 78 minutes. The tournament's prize money was $80,000 For the reigning junior winner of the Australian Open, this is the third senior ITF title of her career, and she won the first two, with a prize fund of $ 25,000, on clay in Antalya, Turkey. Thanks to this title, Petra Marčinko jumped 87 places in the new singles WTA rankings. She is ranked 196th, for the first time among the top 200 tennis players in the world.
Croatia's Davis Cup international, Borna Gojo (ATP - 182nd), won the ATP Challenger in Ortisei, Italy, with a prize fund of 45,730 euros. It's the first title in his career. In the title fight, he overcame Slovakia's Lukaš Klein 7-6 (4), 6-3 in an hour and a half of play.
Olympian Ivan Dodig continued to string tournament trophies in the doubles competition. Dodig and his partner, American Austin Krajicek, won the ATP doubles tournament in Basel (Switzerland). They outscored the French Edouard Roger Vassellin and Nicholas Mahut 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the final. It was Dodig's 19th tournament won in his career, and his third one in pair with Krajicek.
Congratulations to all Croatian representatives who drew attention to themselves with successful performances, thus promoting the homeland of Croatia!
