November 10, 2021 - Water polo club Jadran Split celebrated its first win in the LEN Champions League this season after beating Georgia's Dinamo Tbilisi in the second round on Tuesday night. 

The match began similar to when Jadran faced Barcelona in the first round. The opportunities were there, but there were no goals. Dinamo took advantage of that and took the lead with Sarić's goal, but then Bukić took responsibility and equalized to 1:1 in the fourth minute. A minute later, Delić scored and brought Jadran to the first lead of the match (2:1). Sarić equalized for Dinamo at 2:2, and Marinić-Kragić returned Split to the top with a penalty. 

In the 11th minute, Jadran finally scored with an extra man. Delić found Dobud, who scored for 5:3. In the 14th minute, Šetka scored with an extra man for the first +3 advantage of the match (7:4). Jadran managed to stop Dinamo's resistance and entered the second quarter up 10:5.

That advantage grew to 12:5 with two goals by captain Šetka in the third quarter. In the end, Dinamo came back from 15:8 to 15:11, slightly mitigating the defeat. At that moment, Jadran coach Mile Smodlaka called for a timeout. Dinamo then further reduced the result to 15:12, with Jadran conceding a series of 4 goals. Dinamo was just two goals behind at 15:13 two minutes before the final whistle. 

"I don't know; it's a shame that we allowed it at the end of this game. We need to discuss this amongst each other. Individuals put themselves ahead of the team, and that’s not good. But come on, let this be a warning to us, and maybe something good will come out of this. We started the game well, played properly, and created a great advantage, and then got into that hole," said Mile Smodlaka, Jadran's coach.

Jadran – Dinamo Tbilisi 15:13
(3:2, 7:3, 4:2, 1:6)

Split – Poljud

Spectators: 250.

Referees: Petronilli (Italy), Haentschel (Germany)

Jadran: Podrug, Burić (1), Marinić-Kragić (3), Čagalj, Z. Butić, Pejković (1), Bukić (1), Harkov (1), Delić (1), Dobud (2), Šetka (3), Dužević (2), Anić.

Dinamo Tbilisi: Razmadze, Tešelašvili (1), Dadvani, Imaišvili, Bitadze (1), Jelača (2), Adeišvili, Sarić (3), Giorgadze, Magrakvelidze (2), Vasić (4), Akvlediani, Gvetadze.

Source: Dalmacija Danas

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February 1, 2021 – A bold declaration of love that first captured hearts in the city of Split has now travelled all across Croatia, as one city resident requested the hand of his beloved in a billboard proposal

Dominating the skyline on the city's northern shores, Poljud is perhaps the best known - and most visually impressive – football stadium in Croatia. Holding near 35, 000 people and boasting sleekly curved roofs on opposite sides, you can't help but admire the relatively modern arena when it is in eyesight.

But, over recent days, the gaze of city residents has drawn by a competing spectacle nearby. In an unabashed declaration of love and intent, one Split resident has placed a billboard proposal within eyesight of the stadium and the local swimming pools. The petition for marriage has captured the hearts of any passing by.

How local media outlet Dalmatinski Portal revealed the romantic request. Their story has since been picked up by national media and captured hearts all across Croatia © Dalmatinski Portal screenshot

Translated, the text of the billboard proposal reads:

"Baby
Here's where we met
Here's where you took my hand
Here's where I ask for your hand"

The billboard proposal was pictured and the romantic request revealed by local media outlet Dalmatinski Portal. Many Split residents had already seen the billboard proposal for themselves – it is prominently positioned near the crossroads where Osmih mediteranskih igara, Put Supavla and Ulica Zrinsko Frankopanska meet, in the area of the city which is also called Poljud. But, the story has since been picked up by national media in Croatia and has now raised hearts and smiles all across the country. And they say romance is dead!

No word has yet arrived as to whether the billboard proposal has been accepted. Perhaps the response might be issued in a more private manner? Or, if the recipient is as bold in expression as the proposer, perhaps keep your eyes peeled on the billboards of Split for a joyous 'yes'.

The Croatian Paralympic Committee and the Croatian Paralympic Swimming Federation have organized the Open Paralympic Swimming Championship of Croatia - Croatia Open 2019, which will be held in Split on February23 and 24 at the Poljud pool, reports Dalmacija Danas on February 21, 2019. 

The competition will feature 102 competitors from five countries. While Croatia boasts 78 swimmers from 10 clubs, there is one swimmer from Montenegro, 17 swimmers from Slovenia, three swimmers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and three swimmers from Austria.

“The Croatia Open is held as part of our preparations for the world championships which was supposed to be held in Malaysia, but unfortunately was canceled three weeks ago for political reasons, so we are waiting for a new host to be named. We want to check out the current form of the team in Split because in this period we had to change our participants in some of the other competitions we wanted to play. In April, I travel to America with Dino Sinovčić and Ante Rađa. In May, we will play in Lignan, Italy, and in mid-June, we will head to the Open Championship of Germany,” said Slobodan Glavčić, the coach of the Croatian national Paralympic swimming team ahead fo the tournament in Split. 

“Of course, it is hard to predict, but for the world championship, we are preparing for a Dino Sinovčić medal and for Kristijan Vincetić to fight for a medal, as well as Ante Rađa and the standard for the world championship, Leonard Renić. I hope that this year we will preserve the trend of winning medals on the world's largest Paralympic swimming stage. Our swimmers have matured, and I certainly need to mention Tomi Brajša and Karlo Knežević. Behind them comes another seven or eight young swimmers who are seriously knocking on the doors of the national team," said coach Glavčić.

The organizers of the Championship are PK Cipal and PK Mornar and the Sports Federation for the Disabled in Split. 

To read more about aport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.