22 athletes to represent Croatia at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
PULA, 19 August 2021 – 22 athletes will represent Croatia in eight sports at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
The Paralympic Games will take place from 24 August to 5 September and today the Croatian team was presented in Pula.
“The pandemic has lasted an extremely long time and brought many challenges. We know that it was not easy for the athletes, but despite that they diligently prepared for the Paralympic Games,” said the president of the Croatian Paralympic Committee Ratko Kovačić.
Croatia is hoping to continue the success from the last Paralympic Games five years ago.
“We all proudly remember the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, which with five medals won were one of the most successful games in the history of Croatian Paralympic sports. Now five years of hard training are behind our athletes and qualifying for the Paralympic Games is the crown of their work. Tokyo was a happy place for our Olympians, so I hope that we will continue that run,” said Kovačić.
The Croatian flag in Tokyo will be carried by Mikela Ristoski from Pula, a two-time Paralympic medalist and medalist at numerous world and European competitions.
“I am extremely honoured and given great confidence that I will be able to proudly carry the flag at the opening of the 16th Paralympic Games in Tokyo on August 24. There are few athletes who receive recognition for their sporting success,” said the golden Paralympian from Rio de Janeiro.
Croatian Paralympians will compete in eight sports: paraathletics, paragliding, judo, paragliding, table tennis, para archery, para taekwondo and paratriathlon.
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Since declaring independence, Croatia has won a total of 19 medals – five gold, five silver and nine bronze – at the Paralympic Games.
