The final matches and the issue of medals to the best water polo and handball teams marked the end of the first part of the European Universities Games in Rijeka. From the very beginning of the Games, the Campus and the City of Rijeka have accommodated around 700 players, coaches, and officials, and their stay at the Games was made easier by around 300 volunteers. The content faces of all the athletes and their coaches are the cause for celebration for the organizers.
“Everyone from the Organization Committee agrees that the first part of the Games went according to plan. The organization was of the highest quality, and the content participants who’ve left Rijeka in the last couple of days, that is the handball and water polo players, are the living proof of that,” said Nikola Vincetić, coordinator of the EUG 2016 Office in Rijeka.
Over the next few days, five competitions will take place in Rijeka – taekwondo, judo, 3×3 basketball, swimming, and para-swimming. Afterwards, the closing ceremony will take place. Haris Pavletić, vice president of the European Universities Games, is very satisfied with the Games so far.
“The Games are going swimmingly. At the very beginning, we were faced with a big challenge of accommodating over 2,000 people over the course of three days, and we there was also the opening ceremony and the Rectors’ Conference. All of that is over now, and everyone seems satisfied. With the second part of the Games underway, everything is already in order, and all eyes are on Rijeka since we are hosting the closing ceremony.”
The benefits of holding one of the biggest sporting events in Rijeka are manifold. Not only do the Games help promote the city as a great location for athletes in Croatia and the neighbouring countries, but they also raise awareness of the health benefits of doing sports.
