Mila Prpić and Christina Zwicker qualified for the world showcase after outstanding performances in front of the home crowd at Arena Zagreb, despite Prpić's knee injury and Zwicker's return after four years.
Croatian all-around gymnasts Mila Prpić and Christina Zwicker have officially secured their spots at the World Gymnastics Championships, set to take place from October 17 to 25, 2026, in Rotterdam. The news came immediately after the conclusion of the European Women's Gymnastics Championships in Zagreb, and was confirmed by the International Gymnastics Federation, as announced by the Croatian Gymnastics Federation.
Qualification for Rotterdam was earned by the top 26 all-around gymnasts from the European Championships in Zagreb, after gymnasts who had already secured their spots as members of the top 13 European teams were removed from the qualifying list. A total of 293 gymnasts from 39 countries competed at the European Championships, held from August 13 to 16 in Zagreb, with 163 in the senior category and 130 in the junior category.
Performances at Arena Zagreb were crucial for securing a place at the world championships, and both Croatian representatives highlighted the special significance of competing in front of a home crowd.
Mila Prpić suffered a minor injury to her left knee during podium training two days before the start of the European Championships, but despite this, she managed to complete the entire all-around competition and secure her spot at the world championships.
"I am very happy about qualifying for the World Championships. Despite the injury to my left knee, I am glad I managed to complete the entire all-around and truly enjoy every moment of the competition. After everything, this qualification is a nice reward, but also a great motivation to keep working, refine my routines, and be even better," said Prpić.
Christina Zwicker returned to the all-around at major competitions after a four-year hiatus, and qualifying for the World Championships was her main goal ahead of her performance in Zagreb. After the World Championships in Rotterdam, she will compete at the Mediterranean Games and two more World Cups.
"I am really happy to have secured my spot at the World Championships. I truly enjoyed competing in front of the home crowd, and I think that was visible and felt in the arena. I performed better on some apparatuses and slightly worse on others, but in the end, the overall score was more than enough for a safe qualification, which was the most important thing for me at this moment. It means a lot to me that after several years marked by injuries, I managed to return to the all-around and compete on the big stage again. Now I have the Mediterranean Games ahead, then two more World Cups, and as the icing on the cake of this season, the World Championships in Rotterdam, which I am really looking forward to," said Zwicker.
This qualification of two Croatian all-around gymnasts for the World Championships is a great success for Croatian gymnastics, especially considering Prpić's injury and Zwicker's return after a multi-year hiatus caused by injuries.
