A week after the re-opening of the Grič Tunnel, one Portuguese basketball team decided to visit it. It was the women’s team from the University of Aveiro who are currently competing at the European Universities Games Zagreb-Rijeka 2016. They used their free afternoon to tour the city.
On their way to the Tunnel, they, together with the attaché Bruno Habus, visited the Croatian State Archives, the Croatian National Theatre, and the Academy of Music. Apart from Grič, they were impressed by the funicular and St. Mark’s Square. The girls had only words of praise for Zagreb’s beauty, as well as for the accommodation in the Student dormitory Stjepan Radić.
‘I like the people here, everyone is always smiling,’ said Joana Nora.
They liked Croatia back in 2013 and they were happy to come back.
‘We participated in the European Universities Basketball Championship in Split and we loved it,’ said Rita Oliveira.
Monica Re added: ‘You have a good football team, but our tactics were better.’
The University of Aveiro has a long history of participation in the European Championships. They have been competing in the women’s category since the inaugural Championship in 2001. This year’s Games is their fourth competition in a row after the Games in Rotterdam, and the European Championship in Split and Koper. Their main players are girls from the second and third Portuguese league. They were left without some players from the first league due to injuries.
They couldn’t help but mention the opening ceremony.
‘The opening ceremony was very unique and complex. It was different from the last year’s opening ceremony in Koper, which was simple. This one had a special story and I only regret not seeing all the participants who were in costumes,’ said Rita.
Mario Prlić shares her opinion. He was one of Zagreb’s citizens who did not let the rain stop him from attending the ceremony.
‘Unfortunately, I wasn’t present at the 1987 Universiade, but I did attend the Olympic Games in Sarajevo three years prior. Although the Olympic Games is a bigger event than the European Universities Games, the quality is the same.’
Maja Koletić from Zagreb was not present at the ceremony, but she was not surprised to see people in t-shirts featuring the logo of the Games.
‘I know the European Universities Games are currently being held in Zagreb and Rijeka. I heard a lot about it on the radio, and I often passed by the countdown clock on the central square. I will most definitely be keeping up with the Games through the web site.’
