Secrets of Croatian Gymnasts: Powder, Honey, and Four Tons of Concrete
Five days before the historic European Championship at Arena Zagreb, organizers reveal details worth millions of euros, and team members share their little secrets.
Five days before the historic European Championship at Arena Zagreb, organizers reveal details worth millions of euros, and team members share their little secrets.
Arena Zagreb has entered the final phase of preparations for the biggest gymnastics event ever held in Croatia. Only five days remain until the start of the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and the last details of the spectacular stage, for which nearly 1.25 million euros worth of equipment has been used, are being set up in the hall.
Marijo Možnik, president of the Croatian Gymnastics Federation, does not hide his pride but is aware of the enormous work that has been done. "It takes about a week to set up Arena Zagreb for a spectacle like this. The fact that about thirty large trucks of equipment have entered the Arena speaks volumes," Možnik revealed for HRT.
The scale of the investment becomes clear when you hear how much just one set of apparatus costs. "One set of equipment for men's and women's gymnastics costs around 250,000 euros, and for organizing a championship like this, we need almost five sets," Možnik explained, adding that the organizer must equip not only the main competition floor but also training and warm-up halls.
Safety is a top priority, and since the Arena floor cannot be drilled, the structures are stabilized with massive concrete blocks. "The structure has a one-ton concrete block at each corner, so a total of four tons holding the entire structure," Možnik explained, also emphasizing the importance of precise instruments: "Today, a tensiometer is mandatory, which measures cable tension and shows the safety range between one thousand and five thousand newtons. These are small nuances that can make a big difference."
While the final details are being polished at the Arena, about ten kilometers away, at the Gymnastics Center in Lučko, the national team members are doing their final training sessions. Coach Vladimir Mađarević admits that he is fully dedicated to the organization. "I sleep well, as little as I manage, because I stay at the Arena late and participate in all organizational processes," Mađarević said.
Nevertheless, he is confident in the readiness of his selected athletes. "I can say that all team members are in good shape. This is the peak of the season, and especially because for the first time in history, we find ourselves in a situation where Croatia is the host of such a major sporting event," added the coach.
Croatian aces have also revealed some of their professional secrets. Tin Srbić cannot do without special leather grips on the high bar. "I always have at least five pairs ready. I train in one pair, warm up in another, and compete in a third," Srbić revealed.
Olympic silver medalist Filip Ude has an unusual ritual on the pommel horse. "Magnesium gives me too much resistance, so I use powder to make my hands slide a bit better. Most gymnasts also use honey because when there is a lot of magnesium on the horse, the surface becomes slippery. It doesn't matter which honey, as long as it's local," Ude said.
Olympic vault specialist Aurel Benović has adjusted the apparatus settings to his height. "I place the springboard a bit further from the horse than most other gymnasts. Since I am quite tall for gymnastics, this gives me more time to prepare the actual vault and a better take-off," Benović explained.
The women's competition begins on August 13, while the men will compete starting August 19, and all finals will be broadcast live on Croatian Television.
