Ivan Šapina

Ivan Šapina (born 17 November 1999) is a Croatian taekwondo practitioner. He is a two-time medalist in the men's 87kg event at the World Taekwondo Championships. He is also a two-time medalist, including gold, in his event at the European Taekwondo Championships. He competed at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games.

Career He is a member of Marjan Taekwondo Club in Split, Croatia, a club that also includes fellow champion practitioners Matea Jelić, Bruna Duvančić and Lena Stojković.

Šapina won one of the bronze medals in the men's middleweight event at the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships held in Manchester, United Kingdom. In 2021, he won one of the bronze medals in the men's 87 kg event at the European Taekwondo Championships held in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Šapina represented Croatia at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2021. He competed in the men's +80kg event where he was eliminated in his second match by Sun Hongyi of China.

Šapina won the gold medal in the men's +80kg event at the 2022 Mediterranean Games held in Oran, Algeria. He defeated Ayoub Bassel of Morocco in his gold medal match.

He competed at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, where he was defeated in the bronze medal of the men's +80 kg division match, by Rafael Alba of Cuba. He was however, given the honour of being a flag bearer for his country at the Games' closing ceremony.

Achievements

Year Event Location Place 2019 World Championships Manchester, United Kingdom 3rd 2021 European Championships Sofia, Bulgaria 3rd 2022 European Championships Manchester, United Kingdom 1st Mediterranean Games Oran, Algeria 1st 2023 World Championships Baku, Azerbaijan 2nd