Paralympian Mihovil Spanja begins work for NPC Croatia

After retiring from his swimming career, the 26-time international medallist has taken up a role in the Croatian Paralympic Committee’s media department. 11 Nov 2013
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Mihovil Spanja

Croatia's Mihovil Spanja of celebrates winning bronze in the men's 100m backstroke S7 final on the first day of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

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By IPC

“He will certainly responsibly perform his duties, and I am confident that it will contribute to further popularizing sport for people with an impairment.”

Despite retiring from swimming last year after competing at the international level for nearly 15 years, Croatia’s most successful Paralympian, Mihovil Spanja, has found a way to stay actively involved in the Paralympic Movement.

In early November, Spanja, a four-time Paralympic bronze medallist and four-time world champion in the pool, started working for the media and public relations department of the Croatian Paralympic Committee (CPC) in Zagreb.

The 29-year-old, who was contracted with polio at a young age, will be in charge of implementing a new communications strategy for the CPC.

Ratko Kovacic, President of the CPC, said: “He will certainly responsibly perform his duties, and I am confident that it will contribute to further popularizing sport for people with an impairment.”

In his swimming career, Spanja won a total of 26 medals at the European Championships, World Championships and Paralympic Games, setting 16 world records in the process.

He retired just after the London 2012 Paralympic Games, at which point he interned for the IPC’s media and communications department for nearly four months before returning home to Croatia.