National Finals in Rijeka Gather 2,000 Young Athletes from Across Croatia

Summer, sun, sports, the city of Rijeka, and over 2,000 children marked the national finals of the Plazma Youth Sports Games—Europe’s largest amateur sports event.
Young athletes from all over Croatia gathered in the Kvarner region to compete on 10 sports fields and halls in events like the Coca-Cola Cup, HEP Handball Tournament, Tommy Futsal Tournament, FIDE Chess Tournament, Kinder Joy Street Basketball Tournament, and the PAKET 24 Tennis Cup. Other sports included table tennis, volleyball, beach volleyball, dodgeball, and athletics as part of the Telemach Sports Days. Over the 12-day event, Rijeka once again proved to be a city perfectly suited for young athletes.
The competitions kicked off with one of the most popular sports, which encourages socializing and inclusion through mixed teams of boys and girls. Medals for the best teams and individuals in the 2016 and younger age group were awarded by Croatian national handball player Filip Glavaš, while medals for the 2014 and younger age group were presented by Mislav Galler, Management Board Member and Chief Commercial Officer of Telemach Croatia.
The atmosphere at the 3. maj hall was especially memorable, as it hosted the finals of the Coca-Cola Cup—Europe’s largest futsal tournament. Every match was accompanied by thunderous cheering, applause, and incredible sportsmanship. Now in its 12th year, the Coca-Cola Cup is held under the umbrella of the Plazma Youth Sports Games and serves as a platform that promotes core sports values: fair play, teamwork, tolerance, and respect.
This year, 151 qualifying tournaments were held across Croatia, with 47,190 young athletes participating in the Coca-Cola Cup. The top teams competed in Rijeka for the title of national champions and a spot in the international finals in Split. Medals were presented by NK Rijeka footballer Damir Kreilach. The Plazma Youth Sports Games are also proud to highlight their collaboration with the UEFA Foundation for Children, led by UEFA President and Games Ambassador Aleksander Čeferin, in a shared mission to promote and develop women’s football.
A special thank you to all the children for their smiles and participation. By joining this year’s 29th Plazma Youth Sports Games, you have once again shown the importance of sport and a healthy lifestyle. We also extend our gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the host city of Rijeka, and all our sponsors and partners in Croatia: Bambi, The Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola HBC, Telemach Hrvatska, UEFA Foundation for Children, The Topps Company, Tommy, Podravka, Ferrero, HEP, and Hrvatska pošta.