Blanka Vlasic marks a world leading 2m high jump: Slobodna Dalmacija Women’s High Jump Competition
Blanka Vlasic, the 27-year old Croatian athlete who specialises in high jump, marked a world leading 2m stride while taking advantage of the home field at the 5th Slobodna Dalmacija Women’s High Jump contest held in Split, on Friday, June 24.
The competition inevitably brought the event title to the pre-favourite current record holder of Croatia and reigning world champion in both indoors and outdoors.
Though the result produced by the formidable athlete was a world lead, but it was not the best she has ever displayed. About 2 years ago, Vlasic had set her Personal Best of 2.08m and was regarded as the second highest woman jumper in the history of the
event.
She had remarkable mentoring from her father, Josko Vlasic, the veteran decathlon record holder. She was considered as a talented junior as she was capable of making a place in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games at the age of 16. Having found a great platform
to start with, she went on to bag the World Junior Championships in Athletics both in 2000 and 2002.
Marking her dominance in the sport, she claimed the national record in the discipline in 2004. In the same year, she also claimed the World Indoor Championships. In 2007, she also bagged the European Athlete of the Year Trophy. Last year, amid a sustained
world-class performance, she was conferred upon with the IAAF World Athlete of the Year Award.
Performing at Split, her hometown, there were more than 5000 spectators who had gathered at the seaside Riva Promenade to see their favourite athlete displaying another remarkable performance.
Talking about her success at Split, Vlasic, the 2007 world champion, turned rather emotional and referring back to her defeat at New York two weeks ago, said, “I showed everybody that New York had nothing to do with reality. I told myself I have to jump
over two metres and win. This victory is a sign that everything is going in the right direction.”
Though the day turned out to be good for the world leading athlete, it did result in hurting her physically. Speaking about the minor injury she suffered from just before her final attempt, Vlasic said, “Everything is hurting, my ankle, my eye, my knee.
In my first warm-up jump I twisted an ankle a bit. It didn’t hurt much, just a little irritated. I don’t know what is with my knee, but I think it’s nothing serious.”
For delivering the present results, the emphatic athlete has gained her confidence back, which she was desperately looking for before entering the IAAF World Championships at Daegu.
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