Croatia Sends 16 Swimmers to European Championships in Paris
Current European champion in the 50m freestyle (short course), 22-year-old Jere Hribar, is the team's biggest hope at the continental showcase.
Current European champion in the 50m freestyle (short course), 22-year-old Jere Hribar, is the team's biggest hope at the continental showcase.
Croatia's swimming team is ready for the European Championships, which kick off next week in Paris. A total of 16 Croatian representatives will compete at the prestigious event, with head coach Pero Kuterovac and his staff placing their highest hopes on 22-year-old Jere Hribar, who arrives in the French capital as one of the favorites for medals.
Last December, Hribar thrilled the Croatian sports public at the European Short Course Championships in Lublin. There, he claimed gold in the 50m freestyle, silver in the twice-as-long distance, and bronze in the 4x50m freestyle relay. Now, in long course, the American-based student from Split will compete in as many as five events.
"Step by step, first reach the final, then enjoy and let it flow. I feel faster and faster in the pool, and I can't wait to try out the pool in Paris," Hribar told Prigorski. His optimism is shared within the team, although head coach Kuterovac remains cautious with predictions.
Head coach Pero Kuterovac is aware of his swimmers' quality but doesn't want to pile on extra pressure ahead of the competition. "I wouldn't want to set any expectations for them; they have enough ambition and expectations of their own. Excessive expectations can push an athlete into agony, and that's not good," Kuterovac said for Prigorski.
According to HRT, the coach mentioned two, possibly three finals, while Hribar himself added that he'd be happy with four. Coach Frane Ćirak highlights the team's solid preparation: "We have quality, fast swimmers; everyone came in quite well prepared from their club work."
The team held its final preparations during a week-long training camp in Kranj, Slovenia, followed by a brief stop in Zagreb before heading to Paris. Alongside Hribar, 14 other male swimmers and two female swimmers will compete in the French metropolis.
Vlaho Nenadić, one of the team members, shared how he approaches different types of races: "Jere is relaxed in the relay, while I'm more relaxed in the individual race because there's more responsibility. It motivates you, but it's a different chemistry in the brain." Particularly intriguing is the battle for the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, where competition is fierce, and the coach will decide the final lineup at the last moment.
Besides Hribar, Croatia has several other aces up its sleeve. Amina Kajtaz will compete at her seventh European Championships and arrives in Paris without pressure. "I believe I'm ready; this is my seventh European Championship, I'm going without pressure and to enjoy it," Kajtaz told HRT. On the other hand, long-distance swimmer Franko Grgić, a former junior world champion, qualified in record time after a complex return to competition, and the federation wants to shield him from public expectations.
Luka Cvetko adds: "We need to give it our all and do our best. This will be a fast championship; even making the final won't be easy." Swimming fans in Croatia can catch all the excitement from Paris live on HRT's second channel, daily from 6:30 PM, starting Monday through Sunday, August 16, 2026.
