Curtain Falls on the 30th Plazma Youth Sports Games

Split's Riva turned into a sports arena, followed by a spectacular fireworks display and a concert to close the jubilee season

The International Finals of the Plazma Youth Sports Games, Europe’s largest amateur sporting event for children and young people, reached their climax with a two-day All-Star programme.

The International Finals of the Sprite 3×3 Cup, played on the Prokurative, were another highlight of the programme. Six Seven from Dugopolje won the girls’ competition, while Lob City from Serbia took the title in the boys’ competition. Cheering on the young players and presenting the medals were basketball coach Željko Obradović and basketball greats Goran Dragić, Dino Rađa, Predrag Danilović and Damjan Rudež.

Split Mayor Tomislav Šuta welcomed everyone gathered on the Riva and congratulated the Plazma Youth Sports Games on 30 years of success.

“It all started in Split, and may it continue that way. I congratulate my dear Zdravko on everything he does for his city. But today, this is about much more than Split and Croatia, and I am delighted that this event has spread across Europe. May it long continue! I hope you enjoy yourselves and that, whenever you get the chance, you come back to Split!”

The closing ceremony brought together 1,224 children taking part in the International Finals from five countries – member countries Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia, and guest country Ukraine – along with numerous guests of the Games.

“It is a special honour to greet you on behalf of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Mr Gordan Jandroković, on behalf of County Prefect Blaženko Boban and, of course, on my own behalf. I congratulate the entire Youth Sports Games team on this great 30th anniversary. I would especially like to congratulate Zdravko and all the people behind this wonderful story. It is a great honour to be back here. When I see so many champions and world sporting stars, it is truly an honour to be here and to speak. What is especially important is that the Youth Sports Games convey three key messages: that you must believe in yourselves; that falling down is part of succeeding; and, most importantly, that you should share your talents with others – no matter which country or background you come from. That is the culture of the Youth Sports Games, and it is something everyone who came here today has recognized. That is why I sincerely thank the entire Youth Sports Games team, and all of you, young people. Finally, I ask you for a big round of applause for the sportiest city in the world, for all our sporting successes, and especially for our water polo players, who have achieved great results. Thank you, and all the best!” said Stipe Čogelja, Deputy Prefect of Split-Dalmatia County and envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament.

The closing ceremony was also attended by Tonči Glavina, Minister of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia and envoy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia:

“Dear friends of the Games, and you, children – we are extremely proud to have the opportunity to watch you, year after year, as you develop, grow and bring true values into your lives. Remember: even if you go on to play sport professionally, at some point in life all of you will also become professionals in something else. With sport, and through sport, you will become better people and more successful in everything you do. So play sport, compete and spend time together, because sport will bring you many benefits and much that is valuable in life. Thank you to all our athletes and ambassadors who are here this evening. Thank you also to all our dear guests who help promote this wonderful and worthwhile project. Finally, I bring you warm greetings from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Mr Andrej Plenković, who gives us his full support. We look forward to seeing you again in even greater numbers – in Split, and on sports fields and courts across Croatia and Europe.”

“Dear children, thank you for taking part year after year, because without you there would be no Games. I hope that next year we will see each other in even greater numbers, and perhaps in another new country. Thank you to everyone who supports us, to all the athletes, and to everyone who has helped the Games grow and develop. Thank you to our host, the Mayor of Split, Mr Tomislav Šuta, to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia, to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and to the governments of all the countries that support us – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia and North Macedonia. Thank you once again. I hope you enjoyed this year – not only those of you here in Split, but everyone who took part in this year’s Games. Play, have fun together and enjoy sport, because the Games rule!” said Zdravko Marić, President of the Plazma Youth Sports Games.

The arrival of world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk caused particular excitement, as did that of many ambassadors and friends of the Games, including Željko Obradović, Darijo Srna, Nemanja Vidić, Slaven Bilić, Goran Dragić and Nikola Karabatić. The ceremony was also attended by Youth Sports Games ambassadors Aleksander Čeferin, President of UEFA, and Predrag Mijatović, as well as many celebrated athletes, including Pavel Nedvěd, Julien Escudé, Marcel Desailly, Georgios Karagounis, Sean Dyche, Vladimír Šmicer, Stiliyan Petrov, Claude Makélélé, David James, Aitor Karanka, Mario Mandžukić, Aljoša Asanović, Alen Bokšić, Dejan Savićević, Sergej Barbarez, Emir Spahić, Vedad Ibišević, Mirko Hrgović, Mehmed Baždarević, Boštjan Cesar, Zlatko Zahovič, Ettore Messina, Petar Metličić, Goran Ivanišević, Ivan Miljković, Dubravko Šimenc and many others.

Also celebrating with the Plazma Youth Sports Games were Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia; Davor Božinović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia; Sándor Csányi, Chairman and CEO of OTP Group, UEFA Treasurer and FIFA Vice-President; Robert Golob, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia; Borjana Krišto, Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration; Johannes Hahn, Governor of the Austrian National Bank and former European Commissioner; Matt Danzeisen, co-founder of Crescendo Equity Partners; Enrique Riquelme, President of Grupo Cox; Volodymyr Nosov, founder and CEO of WhiteBIT International; Gennadiy Butkevich, founder of BGV Group; Coca-Cola representatives Luisa Ortega, Javier Meza, Carlos Martin, Santiago Iturralde and Anastasis Stamoulis; Ivan Vlaho, CEO of UniCredit Bank Austria; Hartwig Löger, CEO of Vienna Insurance Group; Lara Boro, CEO of The Economist Group; Katharine Viner, Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian; and British journalist Alastair Campbell.