In the 'Chronicle of Swimming and Water Polo in Novi Bečej,' we explore the rich tradition and development of these sports in our town. Discover key moments, significant personalities, and the achievements of local teams, as well as the historical context that has shaped the swimming and water polo communities.

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Swimming Meeting in Occupied Novi Bečej

Swimming Meeting in Occupied Novi Bečej

In the summer of 1942, the swimmers were gathered again, but once again as a section of the Vranje Sports Club Zvezda. Branislav Kiselički writes about this in his manuscript "Veliki plivački dan" ("The Big Swimming Day"), which is kept in the archive of the National Library in Novi Bečej:

The new name was actually just an external designation, but the spirit of the PSK “Tisa” remained. The pretensions remained... It started with a “sports house,” but more obstacles prevented progress... The swimming ban, the ban on the club’s activities, internal disagreements, all of this influenced that everything ended with a training session. The new autumn, winter, and spring crystallized in us the idea: The swimming competition must be realized.

The idea and desire to organize a swimming event in Novi Bečej began to take shape in early summer of 1943.

Based on two written documents provided by Lazar Mečkić to the author of this text (Stevan Davidović), we learn that the Vranje Sports Club Zvezda, on July 9, 1943, approached the Serbian Swimming Federation in Belgrade with a request to organize a swimming meeting in Novi Bečej, where the Serbian national swimming team would participate. On July 17, 1943, the Serbian Sports Federation sent a response to the Vranje Sports Club Zvezda with the following content:

In response to your express letter of July 9, it is our honor to inform you that we have decided at our meeting on the 16th to accept your kind invitation to host the Belgrade swimmers in your town on August 1 or 2 of this year.

Since the Federation cannot send its national team or the Belgrade team to this event, the invitation was forwarded to the federal champion, the Sports Bob Club, whose swimmers are currently training. The Sports Bob Club will inform you of the technical details. We hope that the intended event will be as successful as possible from a promotional standpoint. Please accept our sports greetings.

Best regards.

On the same day, July 17, 1943, the Sports Bob Club from Belgrade sent an express letter to the Vranje Sports Club Zvezda with the following content:

In addition to the letter sent to you by the Federation today, we are pleased to inform you that we gladly accept the kind invitation to participate in the competition in your town on August 1 or 2 of this year.

We are ready to participate in the following disciplines with two swimmers each: 50 and 200 m (or 100 and 400 m) freestyle, 100 m backstroke, 100 m breaststroke, and with two relays: 3x100 m medley and 4x50 m freestyle, as well as with two water polo teams. On the women’s side, we will compete in the following: 50 m freestyle, 100 m breaststroke, and 100 m backstroke, as well as in relays.

We are coming with ten swimmers. Regarding your accommodation and meals, the rest of the team for water polo and the relay teams, along with the ladies, will travel and stay at their own expense.

Currently, all our best swimmers are in Belgrade, so we will come complete, including state champions Bijelić, Jeremić, Krstohvil, Jugović, and others. On the women’s side, Tonja Lipska, Krklecova, Đorđević, and others will participate.

If you do not have your own water polo team, we can fill that slot with our two teams. However, if the swimmers from Bečkerek are also guests, the water polo part will be all the more interesting with four teams.

We will submit the request for a travel permit to the city authorities on Monday, as per your instructions.

For any other questions, please authorize your member, who will be coming to Belgrade on the 20th, to meet with us and finalize the details.

With sports greetings and see you soon.

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