Published on 08/24/2016

Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić are the current European and World champions in sailing. Should it come as a surprise if they won gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rio? Definitely no, but this was Croatia's first gold in Olympic sailing. This medal, as well as the silver medal by Tonči Stipanović (Laser category), is among others a consequence of the fact that Croatia is not only a Middle-European country, but also a Mediterranean country, situated along the coast which many consider as the most beautiful in the world, interspersed with more than a thosand islands.

The medals are among others a consequence of the fact that Croatia is also a Mediterranean country

Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić sailing to their Olympic gold medals in 470 Men's category,
accompanied with Croatian Coat of Arms.

Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić winners of the Olypmic gold medal in sailing, class 470, with Australian and Greek competitors.

Croatian duo finished ahead of Greek and Australian crew in the medal race and won the Olympic gold

Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić won the gold medal in Olympic sailing 470 class on August 18, 2016. They took the lead in the first race and stayed ahead of the competition throughout the Olympic sailing tournament.

They started the medal race with their eyes on the Greek and Australian crews, which had the chance to overtake them in the battle for the gold medal. They finished ahead both of them, and after they crossed the finish line, they jumped out of their boat to celebrate the biggest success of their sailing career.

Fantela and Marenić's victory crowns a stunning week for Croatia, the 470 Men's gold going alongside Tonči Stipanović's Laser Men's silver just two days ago. Croatia had never won an Olympic medal in sailing, now it has two.

Fantela on the helm and Marenić as a crew have won the fourth gold medal for Croatia at the Rio 2016 Olympics, a new record for Croatian athletes.

Source www.total-croatia-news.com

Croatia winning gold medal, Australia silver and Greece bronze.

Šima Fantela and Igor Marenić sailing to their gold medals. Photo by Getty Images.

Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić of Croatia. Photo by Sailing Energy / World Sailing.

Celebrating with Croatian Coat of Arms

Sports photos of the year! W. West/AFP/Getty Images

W. West/AFP/Getty Images

Amazing reception for Šime Fantela and Igor Marenić near the spectacular Monument to the Sun
in the city of Zadar on Croatian coast. Equally nice was the feast in the town of Cres, Igor's birthplace on the island of Cres.

Croatia's Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic claim their second world title. Photo by Jesus Renedo/Sailing Energy

World champions from Argentina, March 2016, discussing their plans for forthcoming Olympiad in Rio, where they won gold.
Although it is more difficult to become world champion (because more teams can compete for the same country), the Olympic gold medal is sweeter.

Video by Ashley Colburn, USA, a two-time Emmy award winning television producer.
She spent the summer 2014 in Croatia on a SAILING.HR yacht week trip.

Source ilijaveselica.com

Formated for CROWN by Darko Žubrinić
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