After 5 years, world’s best high jumpers return to Croatia
After a four year break, Split will once again welcome world’s best female high jumpers on January 29, 2016. The international indoor competition will start at 5 PM in Gripe, and tickets can be purchased for 25 kunas.
We are now in a situation when Blanka Vlašić is finally returning to the competition circuit, she is motivated and in training for Rio Olympic games. We also have Ana Šimić, another excellent Croatian high jumper and a bronze medal winner from the 2014 EU championship, so organizing a large athletics meeting in Split after a 5-year break was not a problem. We can guarantee that spectators will have a great time tonight – says Ivan Veštić, president of the Croatian Athletics Federation.
10 of the world’s best high jumpers will compete for the title in Split. Even though there will be no Russian representatives because of the suspension imposed by the International Athletics Federation for use of illegal substances, Blanka and Ana will still face a very tough competition: “If it weren’t for the suspension, we’d have both Kučina and Čičerova with us in Split but that is something we couldn’t help. We have Doreen Amata from Nigeria, World championship finalist, Natalija Dušanova from Uzbekistan, Burcu Yüksel from Turkey, up and coming athletics star from Ukraine Irina Geraščenko and we are proud to welcome back Venelina Veneva-Matejeva, winner of our very first meet here in Split back in 2007. She’s still competing and she’s in fantastic form even though she’s 24 years older than our youngest competitor, Michaela Hruba from the Czech Republic” – Veštić added.
