Dino Sinovcic

Started: He began swimming at age 12 in 2004 in Split, Croatia. (vecernji.hr, 03 Sep 2021; Athlete, 07 Sep 2016) Reason: "Doctors recommended that it would be good for me to swim as part of my rehabilitation. Coaches of PK Mornar noticed me at the pool. They thought I had the potential and talent to do the sport, so then I joined them." (tris.com.hr, 28 Jun 2022; dalmatinskiportal.hr, 02 Dec 2018; slobodnadalmacija.hr, 28 Dec 2017; Athlete, 12 Jul 2015) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (showbuzz.dnevnik.hr, 13 Sep 2023) Awards: He and table tennis player Andela Muzinic Vincetic were Croatia's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (medias.paris2024.org, 28 Aug 2024) In 2023 he was presented with the Order of Danica Hrvatska [Order of the Croatian Morning Star] in the sport category by the president of Croatia. (Facebook page, 04 Oct 2023; predsjednik.hr, 04 Oct 2023) In 2019, 2022 and 2023 he received the Para Athlete of the Year Award from the Croatian Paralympic Committee [HPO]. (hpo.hr, 02 Feb 2024; Hrvatski Paraolimpijski Odbor Instagram profile, 31 Jan 2023; slobodnadalmacija.hr, 30 Jan 2020) He was named Male Para Athlete of the Year for 2022 by the Split Sports Federation in Croatia. (Sportski Savez Osi Split Instagram profile, 08 Feb 2023) He was named the 2018 Person of the Year by the Croatian website Dalmatia Today. (dalmacijadanas.hr, 23 Mar 2019) Additional Info: OTHER ACTIVITIES In 2017 he co-founded Croatian wheelchair basketball club KKI Split. He is also a qualified swimming coach. "I tried wheelchair basketball for the first time 12 years ago [speaking in 2023]. Before I founded the club I had nowhere to play or train. We have been operating since 2017 and we can really boast good results." (showbuzz.dnevnik.hr, 13 Sep 2023; tris.com.hr, 28 Jun 2022; vecernji.hr, 03 Sep 2021; slobodnadalmacija.hr, 28 Dec 2017)