I didn’t know what to expect from the Youth Sports Games. But they blew me away | Adrian Chiles

To see the kids kicking balls around at the international tournament in Croatia is more than just a joy; it’s a miracle

Even though I didn’t know Graham Norton, I ended up playing simultaneous chess alongside Nemanja Vidić. I should explain. A couple of brothers from the Croatian city of Split came to see me in London, hoping I could put them in touch with Graham Norton, which I couldn’t because I don’t really know him. The brothers, Zdravko and Slaven Marić, told me about a sports tournament they organised for kids from countries that were once part of Yugoslavia. What, really? Kids from Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, all coming together in Split to play and compete together? Apparently so. And Norton came into it because in Croatia he’s a big star. Everyone loves his show, subtitles and all. So they wanted him to come to Split to be a guest of honour at their Youth Sports Games.

At short notice I was unable to make their wish come true, but they didn’t seem to hold it against me, as they insisted I come to Split to see for myself the finals of these Youth Sports Games. This I did, and I was completely blown away. It wasn’t that I hadn’t taken them at their word, or disbelieved them when they shared the list of sporting legends who had lent their support, but nothing prepared me for the magnificence of the enterprise when I saw it with my own eyes last month.

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