Status: Track and field athlete. Current world champion in the high jump event (both indoors and outdoors).
DOB: November 8, 1983 In: Split, Croatia
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 165
First Track Memory: “I was very little girl and I was running around the track and watching my father and nobody liked me, I was so annoying when I was a little girl [smiles]. I don’t know what my first exact memory is about track from childhood. My first track memory is trying to run and jump, but it wasn’t high jump.”
Inspirations: “My inspiration is that feeling inside of me. That I still didn’t do everything I can do. And I’m still…if I have this feeling I will have enough inspiration to keep competing. And I’m not going to stop until I have the feeling that I did reach the goal, whatever it is.”
Favorite Sports Outside Track & Field: “I don’t go to many games or competitions because I like to relax, because I get too emotional there. I used to love watching basketball. My father was involved in basketball. When Croatia plays soccer, I always love to watch.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “I cannot pick just one. Berlin. Winning in Berlin (winning 2009 World Championships). Against (Ariane) Friedrich, competing on her home field. There were a lot of mind games there coming from the other side. But I stayed quiet and I was so proud afterwards, how I managed to learn from it. And last year – Barcelona (winning European Championships). Because I wasn’t really in top shape last year until the end of the year. So it was one month before Barcelona. I had a press conference with my journalists in Croatia and I said that I was struggling all the time and that I might not go. But then I decided to go after all. It was a challenge. I jumped clearly what I could. I wasn’t ready for the world record, I wasn’t ready for a 2.05 (meter) jump regularly. I jumped what I could, physically, and that was to the best of my ability. But that made me develop mental strength and helped me for the future. Sometimes the conditions are different and you’re not happy with your feeling like I was last year. So I’m still waiting for that one season where everything that I’ve learned from last seasonwill come together and I will have that perfect jump.”
Most Painful Moment: “I would have to say – most painful moments – two of them. After Beijing (Olympics 2008), even though I don’t let other people say it was a failure, because I still think it wasn’t a failure to win a silver medal at the Olympics (Blanka cleared the winning height of 2.05 meters but needed one more attempt than Belgium’s Tia Hellebaut). And then after European Indoors (2007) when I jumped 1.92, I don’t know, but those moments were also life-changing. They inspired me more and made me a better athlete. Teaching me to appreciate sad moments even more. And use it as something to push you.”
Favorite Places To Compete: “Obviously, Zagreb I like. Where I jumped 2.08 (second highest jump of all-time). Stockholm. Berlin. All the places I jump well. I don’t know, maybe New York will be.”
Favorite Athletes To Watch: “Like everybody, I like to watch Usain Bolt. Yelena Isinbayeva. Track and field is what people can expect to see when they come to the track meet, the beauty of the sport is everybody can find something for themself. There are a lot of sports running and happening out at the same place. For me, everybody is fun to watch.”
Funny/Embarrassing Career Memory: “I was 14. We went to a competition by car, driving something crazy like eight hours or nine hours. And I came to the competition and all competition I jumped with the wrong approach. I measured approach completely wrong [smiles]. And of course, I didn’t jump well. The ride back was terrible [laughs]. But I guess you learn from your mistakes. I’m happy that only happened once. Now I’m always thinking about that when I’m measuring my approach [smiles].”
Current Car: “Is a BMW. It’s not the newest model but it’s one I really like. It’s older model. More square. (What color?) Black. Like mafia. Like my father’s. I always say it’s like mafia car.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “I don’t eat ice cream. I would like to [smiles]. Every flavor would probably be my favorite flavor. But I cannot, unfortunately, eat any sweets, so.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “People that stick to yourself, your goal. I don’t know what the exact English word is. (Dedication?) Yeah, dedication. Stick to a goal, but in every level of life. You would maybe expect me to say, well, honesty. It’s overrated. But I also like when I can lean on people, when I can count on them. Trustworthy people.”
Topics: Ariane, Exact Memory, Favorite Sports, Field Athlete, Friedrich, Greatest Sports, High Jump, Inspirations, Jump Event, Little Girl, Mental Strength, Mind Games, Ready For The World, Split Croatia, Sports Moment, Track And Field, Track Field, World Champion, World Championships, World Record
Biofile with Blanka Vlasic | 