Vitomir Padovan was born on April 19th 1970 in Mostar - his mother Antonija's native town but he was there for a few days. In Korcula he had finished first seven classes of Elementary school and like his father Egon had trained in water polo. Vito says that he started to swim very late, when he was 7-8 years old because he was afraid of the water. Other kids from islands start to swim when they are 3-4 years. He had to train very hard and soon became one of the best swimmers. Today, when he doesn't train for more than two days, he feels weak and he needs to jump into the water. It's a habit because he spends more than six hours every day in the swimming pool and feels strange not being around water for a long period.
When he was nearly 13 he moved to Belgrade when his parents found a job there.  He soon became the member of the Yugoslav National Team. Aged 15 he was the youngest player. At age 19 he participated in the European Championship in Bonn. Playing for Partizan- club from Belgrade, he was awarded three Championships, three Cups, Cup Winners Cup and one Super Cup. As a member of the Yugoslav Junior National Team he won European Junior Championships in 1987 and 1988, World Championship in 1989.