Bjelovar with Wellovar Charges Toward European Junior Championship
Mayor Dario Hrebak presents the bid for the European Junior Swimming Championship, backed by a project that could completely transform the city's image.
Mayor Dario Hrebak presents the bid for the European Junior Swimming Championship, backed by a project that could completely transform the city's image.
Today, August 8, 2026, Bjelovar is the only Croatian city to officially present its bid in Paris to host the European Junior Swimming Championship. Mayor Dario Hrebak is chasing what might be the most important match for the sporting and tourism future of his city in the French capital.
The spearhead of this ambitious endeavor is not mere desire but a concrete project: Wellovar, the first spa in Bjelovar and the newest such facility in Croatia, which now gets the chance to shine on the international stage even before it is fully operational.
Hosting a championship for young swimmers goes far beyond a few days of sporting competition. It brings an influx of athletes, coaches, national teams, and officials, and with them, full hotels, restaurants, and shops. More importantly, thousands of people would have a concrete reason to visit Bjelovar for the first time, generating additional tourism spending and fundamentally changing the perception of the city.
Bjelovar's bid is not based solely on a nice story. The city has already built an Olympic-sized pool and the necessary infrastructure to host a major swimming competition, and Wellovar is envisioned as the central sports and tourism facility that gives the whole endeavor tangible weight. The message from Bjelovar leaves no room for doubt: we have the project, we have the pool, we have the conditions, and we want to bring Europe to our city.
A special dimension is added to the initiative by the arrival of Josip Varvodic as the head of the Croatian Olympic Committee. From the very first day of his mandate, the new president has shown an understanding of the potential that sport can have for the development of cities. Institutional support from people who understand that sport is no longer just a score on the scoreboard, but also tourism, economy, and international visibility, gives additional wind in the sails of Bjelovar's bid.
Skepticism and questions about the feasibility and justification of such projects will always exist, but one thing is undeniable. Bjelovar has made a leap that, a few years ago, no one would have seriously placed in the context of organizing a major European sporting event. Wellovar should not be viewed merely as a pool or a spa, but as a platform for a completely new promotion of the city.
If this story is ever viewed from the perspective of a few years down the line, it is possible that today in Paris will be remembered as the moment when Bjelovar ceased to be a city you just pass through and became a place where you stay-for a competition, a vacation, a swim, or wellness.
