Judo club Dubrovnik 1966 marked its 60th anniversary in a solemn ceremony. The celebration was held at the packed Marina Držić Theatre, attended by a number of guests, including County Mayor Blaž Pezo and Mayor Mato Franković, while Deputy President Branko Crnov represented the Croatian Judo Federation. All congratulated the club on its birthday, and it was recalled that the club began its story under the name Nacui.
The opening part of the programme featured a performance of "Lijepa naša" by the klapa Kaše. Before the welcoming words of club president Klara Mitrović, the audience paid tribute to all members who are no longer with us with a minute's silence. Mitrović then highlighted the name of Andrija Habulin, the father of Dubrovnik judo, after which a large and prolonged applause broke out in the hall.
The club president described the 60 years as a long journey that began with flour sacks and brown hemp ropes, and today leads to European podiums and Grand Slam tournaments. On this occasion, she also announced a booklet titled "60 years – people, togetherness and success", printed specifically for this occasion.
The programme was hosted by Ivana Brailo Drnas and Bruno Blumenschein, and the central part was dedicated to a film on the club's history divided into three parts. The first part, "Eccentric champions on flour sacks", covers the period from the founding in 1966 to 1980. The second part is titled "Name on the blackboard" and shows the years from 1980 to 1998, in which Habulin's practice of writing down who was travelling for the weekend competition after every Thursday training session was particularly depicted. The third part, "Olive trees are planted for grandchildren", follows the period from 1999 to the present day.
The club's organisational successes were also recalled – the 1990 European Team Senior Championship and the World Military Games in the late 1990s. The club has organised the Dubrovnik Cup, an international tournament that has brought the world to southern Croatia since the early 1980s, for decades, and which has hosted Olympic winners as well as world and European champions in its history.
Certificates of appreciation were awarded to the City of Dubrovnik, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the Croatian Judo Federation. A special award was given to Frano Stjepović, who has been with the club since the "seventh century", as well as head of the technical staff Mateo Semiz, who has held that position since 2009. The Deputy President of the Croatian Judo Federation emphasised: "This club is no longer a sports association, it is a sports institution in the city and county."
The results of the female judokas under the leadership of Mateo Semiz were also highlighted. Iva Oberan signed a historic success for the club by bringing the first medal from the European Senior Championship, and in her career she won four medals at Grand Slam tournaments – silver and three bronzes. Petrunjela Pavić won the first Grand Slam gold for Dubrovnik judo and was the junior European champion, while Anđela Violić is the holder of a Grand Slam medal.
At the end of the celebration, the youngest members of the club first took the stage, joined by the three most successful judokas, who were also awarded special prizes. A group photo followed to commemorate the club's 60th birthday.
