72-year-old disabled Croatian athlete completes 24-hour charity tower run
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Božidar Deodat Krešić during the SOLO RACE (Photo: Croatian Tower Running Association/Supplied)
72-year-old disabled athlete Božidar Deodat Krešić, who is a double world tower running record holder and member of the Top 100 Towerrunning World Association, has just achieved another impressive feat.
Božidar, who set the tower running – singular stairing – world record in 2020, took part last weekend in the 24-hour humanitarian SOLO RACE – 24 hours for the hungry – and from 4 pm on Saturday December 4, to 2:30 pm on Sunday December 5, managed to achieve 144 ascents which was 6,048 meters, 3,204 floors and 48,666 steps.
The tower run took part at the business centre building on Slobode Square 8 in his hometown of Osijek.
The building in Osijek where Božidar complete the race (Photo: Croatian Tower Running Association/Supplied)
Zemljomjernik Osijek provided a free measurement service and said the height of stairs were 17.50 centimetres, 1 ascent of 16 floors (from the basement to the terrace) was 42 meters. Official counters of the ascent controllers were members of the Croatian Tower Running Association, the Christian Humanitarian Association Putovi milosti and members of the Mountain Rescue Service Osijek.
What makes this feat amazing even more impressive, apart from the extreme fitness at his age, was the fact that he was born with spinal and leg injuries. Several surgeries growing saw him wheelchair-bound, but he was able to achieve a full recovery.
(Photo: Croatian Tower Running Association/Supplied)
Božidar says that he would not be able to achieve his success without the support of his wife Mara.
Last weekend’s SOLO RACE, which was organised by Toranjtrčanje association, the Croatian association of members of the Towerrunning World Association, the Association of Sports Associations of the City of Osijek and the City Association for Sports Recreation “Sport for All”, and co-organised by the Christian Humanitarian Association Putovi milosti also had a humanitarian component, raising money for those in need.
(Photo: Croatian Tower Running Association/Supplied)
In December 2020, Božidar set a new world record by running up 448 floors – 6,720 stairs. He achieved that result in 2 hours and 56 minutes and 40 seconds. He burnt 1,895 calories during the world record run-up, taking 5,280 steps and covering 3,000 metres.
