Gabrijel Veočić makes history as Croatia’s second European boxing champion
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Gabrijel Veočić (Photo: Croatian Boxing Federaion)
ZAGREB, 29 April (Hina/CW) – Croatian boxer Gabrijel Veočić on Sunday won the European champion title in the 80 kg category at the European Boxing Championships in Belgrade, by defeating Rastko Simić of Serbia.
So far, this is the biggest career success for 22-year-old Veočić who hails from Slavonski Brod.
Two years ago, he won the European champion title in the under-22 category and in 2023 he won the silver medal at the European Games, securing entry to this year’s Olympics in France.
With the win, Veočić has become the second Croat to win European gold since Croatia’s independence. Mate Parlov and Marijan Beneš also won titles before Croatia’s independence.
Filip Hrgović won gold in Samokov, Bulgaria in 2015, and Gabrijel Veočić has now joined him on the list of Croatian boxers who have become European champions since the 1990s.
In addition to Veočić, Croatians Lucija Bilobrk (silver) and Luka Pratljačić (bronze) return from Belgrade with medals.
Coach Pero Veočić and the rest of the coaching staff can be satisfied with what his Croatian team showed in Belgrade.
