Croatian Juniors Ready for Plovdiv: Roko Mijić Leads the Quadruple Sculls
The World Rowing Junior Championships U19 begin on August 6, with a crew featuring Roko Mijić from Neretvanski gusar among 660 rowers from 55 countries.
The World Rowing Junior Championships U19 begin on August 6, with a crew featuring Roko Mijić from Neretvanski gusar among 660 rowers from 55 countries.
Croatia's junior rowing team has successfully arrived in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where they will compete from August 6 to 9, 2026, at the 59th World Rowing Junior Championships for rowers under 19. Among the world's best young rowers, Roko Mijić will defend the colors of Croatia and the Neretvanski gusar club.
Roko competes in the quadruple sculls (JM4x) event, in a crew that also includes Karlo Svirčić, Šime Ravnjak, and Petar Hrkać. This team has shown great potential for some time. Under the guidance of coach Zlatko Katušin, Minja, the boys have completed quality preparations, and his expertise and tactics will be crucial in the battle against strong international competition.
In addition to the national team's coaching staff, Roko's participation in the world event is also credited to his club coaches, who worked with him daily on the Neretva River and laid the foundation for his rowing progress. In the official delegation of the Croatian Rowing Federation, Davor Gnječ, secretary of Neretvanski gusar, has also received great recognition and is part of the club's logistics team. His presence with the national team will provide additional support to the entire crew during the championship.
The first qualifying races are scheduled for Thursday morning, August 6, 2026. At 3:05 PM local time (2:05 PM Croatian time), the Croatian quadruple sculls will begin their first race. Croatia will compete in lane two, alongside Moldova, Switzerland, the USA, Romania, and Denmark.
The qualification rules are clear: the top two crews from each heat advance directly to the semifinals, along with the six fastest remaining crews from all qualifying heats. The competition is fierce, a total of 18 quadruple sculls have been entered, with main rivals including Germany, Poland, and Denmark, who won medals at this year's European Championships.
In Plovdiv, which hosts this event for the third time, 660 young rowers from 55 countries will compete, with medals awarded in 14 events. Races and events can be followed on the official World Rowing website and via live streaming on YouTube.
Photos from the trip and preparations were taken by Nives Crnogaća, Davor Gnječ, and Boris Martin, and schedules of upcoming races, results, and reports from Bulgaria will be regularly published on the Neretvanski gusar club's media channels.
