Branko Cikatić (1954-2020) was distinguished Croatian fighter, who was the winner of the first K1 Grand Prix Tournament in Tokyo in 1993 (in the finals against Ernest Hoost). At that time, he was at the age of 38, and is till these days the oldest winner of the K1 tournament. He was the winner of in various combat sports for thirteen times. In kick-boxing, he was the World Champion in 1981. He started his career in Solin, and then continued in his native city of Split. In 1989, the German journal Karate Budo Magazine decorated him with the Golden Glove, and proclaimed him to be the most popular combat sportsman in the world, in front of Chuck Norris i Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Category: Sports
Bobby Fischer 0 – 1 Vladimir Kovacevic the only major defeat of Bobby Fischer in his chess career
In 1970, a chess tournament (Tournament of Peace) was organized in Croatia which took place in the town of Rovinj on the Adriatic Sea (Istrian peninsula). Fischer was undefeated in the previous four years. His defeat against Vladimir Kovačević, then a little known Croatian player, was a world wide sensation. Of course, despite this defeat, Fischer won the convincingly this trounament, which included 10 other grand-masters (including some of the best Soviet players). Vladimir Kovačević became international grand-master six years later, in 1976.
Croatia's silver medal at 2020 European Handball Championship big success
Croatian handball team has an amazing continuity of top results at European and World championships in the past decades. Congratulations to our team: Domagoj Duvnjak (on the photo, one of the best players today), Zlatko Horvat, Igor Karačić, Luka Cindrić, Željko Musa, Luka Stepanović, etc., under the baton of Lino Červar. Mr. Červar is the most successful coach in the history of Croatian handball. He guided our team to World Championship gold in 2003 and the Olympic title in 2005.
Kresimir Cosic 1948-1995 the first European basketball player with major career in the USA
Krešmir Ćosić (1948-1995) is one of the greatest Croatian basketball players in history. As a player of height 211 cm, he was equally successful on any of the five postitions in a team, a rare quality in 1970s. He has won gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, for the then ex-Yu (of which Croatia was one of six constituent republics). He also has gold medals from the 1970 and 1978 Basketball World Championships and many other trophies. Krešo always carried a bag of books with him… In 1990s, he worked in the United States as a diplomat (deputy ambassador) at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Washington, D.C. In 1996, he was posthumously inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Mirko Novosel Croatian basketball trainer inducted to the Hall of Fame in the USA in 2007
Mirko Novosel, the greates Croatian basketball trainer in history, was inducted to the Hall of Fame in the USA in 2007. He had tremendous successes during the period of ex-Yu in establishing a very strong representation of the former state, which stopped the dominance of the Soviet basketball players, and was the only team that was able to cope with USA basketball teams at the Olympics and World championships. Among his pupils were such celebrities as Croatian players Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč. Under his guidance, Croatian national team won silver medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, in the finals against the USA Dream Team, led by Michael Jordan.
ITTF Parkinson's World Championships sucessful debut in 2019
Twelve countries participated at the First ITTF Ping Pong Parkinson Competition, organized in New York, October 11-13 2019: Brazil, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, India, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, USA. A few countries announced that they will start to organize their national competitions. Congratulations to the organizeras of the competition, and in particular to the idea and intiative of Nenad Bach (on the photo). EURoeThe idea behind this Championship is to help as many people around the world as possible to continue living with Parkinson’s Disease and to be happy, productive members of the society. We are also engaging the scientific community to look deeper into the health benefits of table tennis.
Vladimir Novak: Croatians in America, fascinating photomonograph published in 2018
 Vladimir Novak (1928-2016)
Yoko Nishii's concert in Porec promoting Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Croatian Olympic Committee
Poreč je 13. i 14. rujna 2019. ugostio kampanju Hrvatskog olimpijskog odbora i zemlju domaćina idućih ljetnih Olimpijskih igara – Japan, odnosno glavnog grada domaćina Tokija u cilju da širu javnost upozna s hrvatskim natjecateljima kao i gradom domaćinom na Olimpijadi. U petak 13. rujna 2019. u kazališnoj dvorani Pučkog otvorenog učilišta Poreč japanska pijanistica Yoko Niishi održala je koncert, u kojem izvela odabrana djela hrvatske skladateljice Dore Pejačević, Franza Liszta i Sergeia Rachmaninoffa.
The 2019 ITTF Parkinson's Table Tennis Championships will be held on October 11-13, 2019
The first international table tennis championship for people suffering from Parkinson’s Disease (PwP) under the auspices of the International Table Tennis Federation will be held at a state-of-the-art facility, Westchester Table Tennis Center, in Pleasantville, New York on October 11-13, 2019. (The ITTF is the governing body for all national table tennis associations, of which 226 members represent practically every country and every continent of the world.) Ping Pong Parkinson (3P), our 501c group which meets weekly, is pleased and proud to be a co-sponsor of this tournament especially, since up to now, PwP’s have been chiefly bypassed and disqualified from entering para-table tennis events, including the Paralympic Games.
Ping Pong Parkinson launched by Nenad Bach
We provide PPP (Ping Pong Parkinson) links related to numerous activities of Nenad Bach in order to launch the PPP International competition. The first such competition was organized in New York in 2019. This was an impetus not only for international PPP competitions, but also for founding national PPP competitions. Congratulations to Nenad for his forisghtedness and perserverance. The competition will for sure become a part of Paraolympic Games in the near future. Some countries have already decided to include PPP into their national sports prgrams.
Stipe Miocic winner of the UFC heavyweight boxing title in 2019
Stipe Miocic is a Croatian American mixed martial artist and firefighter-paramedic. In 2019 he won the title of the UFC champion. UFC is the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he competes in the heavyweight division. This was his fourth win of the UFC title, which is unique achievement the history of this competition. He is now at the age of 37 and his height is 1.93 m. With his wife Ryan Marie he has a daughter Meelah Grace (Meelah = mila in Croatian = dear).
2019 ITTF Parkinson's World Table Tennis Championships
One of the tools that is used to fight, slow down or just make the effects of Parkinson’s manageable, is the physical activity of playing Ping Ping, also known as Table Tennis. Nenad Bach wrote a song about it, and asked me to direct a video. This is the promo of the upcoming Official video. Love Ping Pong – (If I Had Another Life) Official Promo. October 11th – 13th. We are Ping Pong Parkinson. Mission: To help anyone with Parkinson’s Disease through ping pong (primarily) – and to have fun while doing it.
Filip Hrgovic makes U.S. boxing debut by winning against Corbin in 60 seconds
Corbin came out firing hard and looking to test the younger man. Hrgovic was nonplussed, his eyes focused and looking for an opening. Backing towards the ropes as Corbin came forward, Hrgovic found it. A chopping right hand sent Corbin crashing to the mat. Hrgovic was polite concerning Corbin before looking to the future. “Greg Corbin is a really good fighter… You didn’EUR(TM)t have time to see the best Hrgovic. I look forward to big fights, strong opponents and to give the US really good fights.”
Ping Pong Parkinson initiative of Nenad Bach
First ever Parkinson’s World Table Tennis Championships, will happen on October 11-13, 2019 in Pleasantville, New York USA at the Westchester Table Tennis Center. The ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) is supporting this event. The new project will form part of the 6th Pillar of the ITTF Foundation that promotes health through table tennis, with this first event aimed at raising awareness of Parkinson’EUR(TM)s Disease and improving the lives of those diagnosed with it. For international music composer, Nenad Bach, table tennis has been the key to regaining his ability to play the guitar and pursue his passion for music once more. Nenad Bach: PLAYING TABLE TENNIS MADE ME FEEL 50% BETTER.
Damir Martin Croatian rower exhibits outstanding strength and endurance
Damir Martin, Croatian rower and two-time Olympic Silver medallist (2016), exhibits outstanding strength and endurance; but how does that compare to athletes from other sports? In a sports science lab, the physiques and unique body characteristics of Olympic athletes are analyzed to reveal what makes them so special. We provide an analysis by Professor Greg Whyte, former Olympian (Modern Pentathlon, GB) and a leading sports scientist (University of Liverpool). “… Damir is truly a force of nature.” “His lung size is absolutely astronomical.” “Damir’s Maximal VO2 score is literally breathtaking: higher than the world’s best marathon runners …”
Croatian handball fantastic performances in Germany against Spain, the host and France in 2019
Participating at the 2019 World Handball Championship in Germany, Croatia won against Spain (European handball champion), as well as against France (World champion), thanks to which Croatian handball players secured their participation at the forthcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. In their match against the host country Germany, it had to play against the referees as well. It is a shame that enterpreneurs can serve as referees at World handball championships. Lino Eervar, Croatian coach, Germany 2019, said: “It cannot be tolerated that amateurs serve as referees at World Handball Championships.” Lino Eervar is one of the most successful handball trainers in the history of this sport.
Photo of the Year and the Family of the Year for 2018
As a photo of the year we have chosen a detail from spectacular return of Croatian national team to the city of Zagreb, with a bus reliably driven for several hours by a nice lady (on the photo) along impossibly stuffed streets, without any accident or any injury. This is a feat maybe even more amazing that the wins of Croatian national football team agains teams like Argentina (led by outstanding world class Messi), England and the Russian Federation. As the family of the year we have chosen the family of Luka Modrić, sharing in this way the opinion of millions of fans throughout the world.
Nikolina Sustic Stankovic of Croatia ultramarathon world champion in 2018
Nikolina Šustić Stanković is the world ultramarathon world champion (100 km!) for 2018. This is one of the greatest achievements of Croatian sports. Native of the city of Split, employed as a computer software tester, she leads a humble life, and became a top sportswoman without any trainer whasoever! This makes her achievment even more amazing. The city of Split is a cradle world class sportsmen and sportswomen: Goran Ivanišević (tennis), Toni Kukoč (basketball), Blanka Vlašić (high jumping), Ivano Balić (handball), … , to name just a few.
Luka Samanic young Croatian basketball prodigy of height 2.08 m
Luka Šamanić, born in Zagreb in 2000, is surprisingly skillful, taking into account his height of 2.08 m and his young age. His play is amazingly fast versatile, and he is among the most promising Croatian basketball players of the new generation. His father Marko Šamanić was professional basketball player. In 2017, he played at the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Tallinn, Estonia. Šamanić led Croatia to a gold medal after recording 21 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 blocks in an overtime win over Great Britain. He was named tournament MVP and made the All-Star Five.
Luka Modric winner of 2018 Balon d'Or
Carlo Ancelotti (director of Real Madrid): Nobody represents the values of this club, both on and off the pitch, better than Modric Luka Modrić with his family Luka Modrić’s family decorated with…