In his manuscript “The Great Swimming Day,” Branislav Kiselički writes about the start of the competition on August 29, 1943:
Sunday, 9 a.m. at the swimming pool — chatter and bustling. Swimmers gather in groups, preparing the scene for the great battle. Our famous guests watch with some timid interest the assembly of the "pool," which is progressing worryingly. Not everything went as planned. The lanes are not finished, although they were started quite early. The lane ropes are not firmly secured enough. They also need to be filled with water.
The stands are already filling up. The lanes need to be set, but one rope is missing! Quickly, look for another... Fortunately, one of ours is the son of a blacksmith. His influence brings salvation. The lane ropes are difficult to fix; the water is strong, and the organizers inexperienced. The situation is saved by Andraš Bači, an expert in these matters. The stands continue to fill, and the “makeshift” on the water increasingly resembles a proper swimming pool — a space where the swimmers will navigate better than in the open river. All work is finished, only the lane securing remains. While this is being done, the audience watches with interest the swimmers’ “acquaintance” with the pool.
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