Play it again, Blanka Vlasic

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-04 09:12

Croatia's Blanka Vlasic clears the bar to win the women's high jump event during the final of the IAAF Grand Prix track and field meeting in Paris. AP

Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic is at the peak of her powers, just in time to seek her first Olympic honors.

The 24-year-old world champion is hot favorite to win gold in Beijing, after 33 consecutive victories in her event. She has jumped 3cm higher than anyone else this season.

Vlasic, whose father Josko was a former decathlete, won her first senior gold medal at last year's world championships, where she set a personal best of 2.07m.

She also won at September's World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, and the world indoor championships in Valencia this year.

Born in Split, her father named her after the Moroccan city of Casablanca, where he took part in the 1983 Mediterranean Games shortly before her birth.

She made the headlines for wrong reasons early in her career, with a series of semi-nude photos.

Soon, however, her talents took over.

She won bronze at the 2004 world indoor championships in Budapest, but finished a disappointing 11th at the Athens Olympics.

She then captured the silver at the 2006 world indoors in Moscow, before taking her sport by storm last year.

She registered 18 wins in 19 outdoor competitions last year.

The only second-place finish, at the Bislett Games in Oslo, cost her a chance to earn a share of last year's $1 million Golden League jackpot.

The jackpot was eventually shared by American sprinter Sanya Richards, and Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva.

This year, however, Vlasic remains in contention for the Golden League jackpot.

Known for striking a pose when she clears the bar, Vlasic will certainly be one of the most eye-catching athletes in Beijing.

If she hits top form, she could even fulfill her other ambition - of breaking the world record of 2.09m.

She tried during last month's Madrid Grand Prix meet, but never came close to clearing 2.10m.

Still, do not count out this woman who has already 33 straight wins this year.

Agencies

(China Daily 08/04/2008 page17)