Mostar Old Bridge Traditional Diving Performance 

Diving off the Old Bridge in Mostar has traditionally been a competition in diving, which is organized every year in late July. The tradition is that young men from Mostar jump from the Old Bridge into the Neretva River. Because the river is very cold, this is quite a risky undertaking, and only the most skilled and best prepared jumpers will dare to jump. Leaps have been made from the time of construction of the bridge itself, but the first jump was recorded in 1664. The formal competition founded in 1968 and since then is held every summer. Jumps are carried out in two categories: the legs and the head (swallow). In jumping to his feet it is desirable that the jumper when entering the water, make a smaller rainstorm (splash) while jumping to head the other way around.