73-year-old Croatian impressive at the European Towerrunning Championships in Warsaw
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Croatian Božidar Deodat Krešić at the European Towerrunning Championships in Warsaw (Photo: Supplied)
73-year-old disabled Croatian towerrunner Božidar Deodat Krešić, who is a double world towerrunning record holder, has taking part in the 4th Towerrunning European Championships in Warsaw.
The Osijek towerrunner was the oldest professional competitor at the European Championships to date and the only from the region taking part in Warsaw on 21 May 2022.
Božidar, who was nominated to attend the race by the Towerrunning Croatia Association, the only official body for organising towerrunning for Croatia, became the European record holder of all European Championships with a time of 26:00:00.
(Photo: Supplied)
The Bieg Na Szczyt Rondo 1/Rondo 1 Run Up was organised as a joint project of the Towerrunning World Association (TWA) and the organisers of Rondo 1 Run Up.
Professional athletes had to run up 38 floors twice of the Rondo 1 building. One ascent was 142 meters high, taking in 78 floors and 2310 steps, whilst two ascents was 284 meters high, 156 floors and 4620 steps.
Rondo 1 Rondo 1 (Photo credit: MichalPL/CC BY-SA 4.0)
26 men and 12 women participated in the professionals category Amateur athletes ran only one ascent.
What makes Božidar’s feats even more impressive, apart from the extreme fitness for 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. Božidar says that he would not be able to achieve his success without the support of his wife Mara.
Božidar Deodat Krešić, right (Photo: Supplied)
“Božidar is a philanthropist, a member of the Franciscan Secular Order and the Christian Humanitarian Association Paths of Grace, and for his sports career he is grateful to his friend Bartol Šimić, without whom, as he says, he would not have been at the championship,” the Towerrunning Croatia Association said.
Božidar is now looking forward to receive an invitation for the World Championship of Towerrunning Professionals.
